Jealousy is the worst policy
by Mad taR135
Summary: When Keri is almost killed, Zoe returns and Tom get's a new girlfriend, will hidden emotions be revealed or will the team finally get a happily ever after?
1. Chapter 1

**I know I probably shouldn't be starting a new story considering I haven't added another chapter to any of my other stories, but I had this idea and I wanted to write it down so that's where this story came from.**

 **No one's PoV**

It was raining in London. But that was normal. So were the hundreds of pigeons flocking around Trafalgar Square. It was twelve o'clock; lunchtime. So, all those business men and woman screaming down their phones was usual too. The honks of the cars normal as well. The kilometres of traffic even more so. In fact, it was a perfectly normal Monday.

The only thing odd about this Monday was the dark-haired boy in the deserted office block hammering away at his computer.

"Tom, can you speed this up?" Dan's voice came loud and clear through the pencil communicator.

"No, sorry," Tom replied. "I'm almost there. Give me just one minute."

"We don't have one minute!" Aneisha answered him. "All the world leaders are meeting in number 10, and we have intel from GD HQ that Alexis Von Hades and the whole of SKAPULA are about to assassinate them. And right now, the only thing stopping us from stopping them is you." Tom winced. That was harsh.

"I'm hacking into number 10 Downing Street. It's not exactly easy!" he protested. "Ok, I'm in."

"Where are they then?" Dan demanded. Tom glanced at the screen.

"It's lunchtime." Tom started before Dan interrupted.

"Thanks for that Captain Obvious," the blonde muttered. Ignoring him, Tom continued.

"Neish you need to get down to the kitchen. Looks like most of the guards are in there having lunch. Von Hades hasn't arrived yet so we're in luck. Dan, get to the conference room that's where all the world leaders are. If SKAPULA turns up earlier than usual, you're their only chance."

"On it," the others said.

"Keri, watch the room, I reckon that's where they going to be getting in. The moment you see them, get to the conference room and help Dan."

Silence.

"Keri?" Tom repeated. "Keri, come in! Keri! Where are you?"

 **Keri's PoV**

I backed slowly away from the Shadow Master.

When I saw SKAPULA zipline into the building from Big Ben, I don't know what possessed me, but when my communicator stopped working, something convinced me into thinking I could take on the whole of the deadliest assassination team. Alone.

So now I'm here. Over Von Hades shoulder I could see all of the world leaders being tied up and gagged then arranged into a line.

"You would think that after I spared you your life a few months ago back at the Shadow Games you would have learnt your lesson." The Shadow Master hissed. "I thought you learn really fast." A mocking smile flickered across his lips.

My back hit the wall and he pressed the atomizer against my chest.

"Of course," he said casually nocking the weapon. "It wouldn't be fair to say you had an easy defeat." With a sharp kick to the ankle I was down and screaming at my broken leg. It hadn't been a fair fight, but I don't go down easy. That's why blood was gushing from my head and my wrist snapped like a twig.

"But this time." Looked directly into my eyes. "This time I am going to kill you. No faking it this time." His finger tightened around the trigger and I closed my eyes in anticipation of being annihilated.

 _You're going to die._ A voice in my head hissed.

Don't think that! I thought back. Think happy thoughts, happy things! Think about…

Dan.

The tall, confident blonde who had stolen my heart since the first moment I saw him. Since the moment he rescued me from those KORPS gorillas. His sarcastic comments and his natural charisma fit together perfectly.

But I could never tell him. I'm too scared I could lose him.

 _But now you're going to die._ The voice whispered.

Yeah. I replied in my head. I'm going to die without him ever knowing.

I just hope he knew.

Because I'll never see him again.

 **So, that's the first chapter, I'm not really trying to make each chapter to long but, at least 500 words. I don't have an auto correct on my computer so there are going to be a lot of mistakes in this story and unfortunately, I can't change that unless you help me out.**

 **Also, if there are any SIU fans out there reading this, I'm struggling with find a new idea for my other stories. Help would be appreciated.**

 **'Till next time. R=16a**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, so for this story I'm going to do my usual: update every Saturday. Hopefully this story won't be too long so I should be able to stick to that, but if I miss an update, it will be because I have scholarship exams for the next three weeks then straight after play rehearsals.**

 **Anyway, as I forgot last chapter**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own M.I High or any of the characters, only the idea.**

 **Dan's PoV**

I slammed through the doors of the conference room and was met by a horrible sight.

All the world leaders tied up and gagged, lying on the floor in a line.

SKAPULA everywhere, the room was swarming with them. Some with guns, some with knifes.

Alexis Von Hades with an atomizer.

And Keri at the other end of it.

As I rushed through the door, everyone turned and looked at me.

"What are you waiting for?" Von Hades barked. At least fifty black clad men rushed forward. But I couldn't take my eyes of Keri. The Shadow Master was going to kill her. I had to get to her.

What is this that I'm feeling? This raw power, this anger. I… I can't control it.

What's happening to me?

 **Keri's PoV**

The moment Dan burst through the doors, I breathed a sigh of relief. He was here and he was going to save me.

"What are you waiting for?" Von Hades barked. At least fifty black clad men rushed forward to get him. My head dropped slightly but I caught his eye. He was staring intently at me. His shoulders began to shake, his face crumpled, his eyes turned red and…

 _ROAR!_

The mighty sound burst from his lips and he flew into action. I couldn't even see him: he was a blur. In seconds, the fifty or so agents were lying on the floor in a heap of moans of pain.

Even Von Hades was a little taken aback giving me the chance I needed. With a sudden rush of adrenaline my pain was forgotten and I delivered a sever kick to the back of the knee he was on the floor and with a punch to the small of his back, he was out cold. I staggered back, the sudden adrenaline rush gone and my pain back.

Dan was surrounded by the rest of SKAPULA but he was fighting strong, a whirlwind of kicks and punches. Men were flying everywhere as they were thrown across the room. But even fighting as strong as he was, I knew Dan couldn't hold them off forever.

Thankfully, Aneisha, Stella, Frank and the rest of security ran into the room.

"Everyone on the floor, hands where I can see them!" Stella screamed. Most of SKAPULA dropped to the floor at gunpoint, but the ones that tried to run soon found themselves tasered and on the floor anyway.

I limped over to Dan. His eyes were still glowing red and shuddering but when he saw me he calmed down and wrapped me in a powerful bear hug. I relaxed in his grip inhaling his scent as he stroked my hair like Libi used to do.

"You OK?" he asked gently, he held me at shoulder length and took in my bleeding head. I smiled as he lightly brushed the wound.

"I'm fine." I told him. I put on a brave face and grinned. "It's not the first time I've almost been atomized!" he laughed.

"Must be a Keri thing!" he replied as Aneisha rushed over.

"Dan!" she cried. "What the heck did you do to those guys?" she asked pointing to SKAPULA. Stella walked over and shook Dan's hand.

"Agent Morgan, you just saved your country and the rest of the world from disaster. If I could I would give you another medal of valour."

"Just doing my job," he said modestly. Aneisha tilted her head.

"You just took down over half of SKAPULA and all you can say is that?" she asked sceptically. We all laughed.

"But what about Keri?" Dan pointed out. "After all, she was the one who beat Von Hades." I blushed.

"It was either that or I got atomized." I mumbled. "Not as impressive as you." He shook his head and wrapped me in another hug.

"Yes, well," Stella sighed. "I do need a quick chat with Agent Summers." I looked at her.

That didn't sound good.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ten minutes later – no one's PoV**

MI9 quickly arrested the agents of SKAPULA and while Frank, Aneisha and Dan untied the world leaders, Stella pulled Keri aside.

"Listen, you did your country great service today, but what on earth made you think you could take on SKAPULA on your own?" She demanded. Keri looked at the floor.

"I don't know." She whispered.

"There's no point trying to play the hero if the odds are stacked against you. That is reckless and stupid." Stella shook her head angrily. "I don't want to have to keep telling you to pull your socks up, Agent. Why didn't you call for backup?"

"I couldn't," Keri explained weakly. "My communicator is broken." Stella snatched it.

"Tom, where are you?" she barked into the pencil.

"Stella?" Came Tom's instant reply. "I'm still at the office block. Why? What's happened?"

"Get over here," Stella replied.

"Yes, Boss." Tom said. Stella glared at Keri.

"Broken is it?" she snapped. Keri opened and closed her mouth but nothing came out. "I am very disappointed in you," she stalked off. Keri willed herself not to cry as her shoulders dropped. Everything was always her fault in Stella's eyes. Last time she had almost died proving she was MI9 material. Even then, she'd had to use the voice to get over the final hurdle.

Now she was back where she had started. The girl who was only useful for fashion advice and nothing else.

"Are you OK?" Aneisha asked coming up behind her. Keri turned and nodded mutely. Her friend frowned but let the matter go. "Come on, the car's out front to take us back to the museum."

"OK," Keri said as they returned into the conference room.

"Ok agents," Stella was saying, "let's get out of here." Dan and Frank met Tom outside the building, then the team got into the SUV and they were driven to the history museum where the school was on another of their 'school trips'.

"Keri, I don't care what Stella says," Aneisha said. "Not even Zoe could win against the Shadow Master."

"Yeah, and Zoe could win against anyone," Dan said fondly. Keri frowned. Did that fondness deserve jealousy on her part?

"Yeah, well," she muttered. "Stella's the boss and whatever she says goes." Much to her joy Dan wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Well, you know what they say" he grinned. "Rules are there to be broken!"

They all filed into the van: Frank and Stella sat up front, Aneisha and Tom behind and Keri and Dan at the back.

"Tom, are you OK?" Aneisha asked Tom quietly. The boy was looking really down with his head lowered.

"I don't get it." He told her sadly. "When I hacked into the CCTV footage, it showed that SKAPULA weren't there yet. But that's obviously not true as they were already there. Keri could have died because of me." Aneisha sighed.

"You can't blame yourself," she said giving a peck on the cheek but he turned his head at the wrong moment and they ended up sharing a mouth-on-mouth kiss. The two spent the journey in awkward silence neither willing to admit that they had liked it.

In the back, Dan still had one arm around Keri and she had her head resting on his chest trying to block out the pain from her leg and wrist. When they arrived back at the museum, Keri was taken away and to hospital with the excuse that she had fallen down some stairs.

 *****THE NEXT DAY – BACK AT THE SCHOOL*****

"So," Mrs King groaned. "I'll try again. The speed of the car is equal to the distance driven divided by the time it took to get there. Yes?" she was met by silence. With another sigh, she turned back to the board.

"This is so boring!" Dan hissed to Aneisha. They both jumped as Keri's sleeping head dropped off her hand and whacked the desk with a thud. She woke with a start.

"Woah!" she blinked. "Weird dream." Dan and Aneisha laughed.

Suddenly, the top of their pencils flashed and the four ran out of the room.

"Thank goodness!" Tom cried. "That was the most boring lesson ever!"

"I wonder what the mission is!" Aneisha said excitedly. "A kidnapping? A break-in?"

"My head really hurts so whatever it is I hope it isn't running." Keri replied rubbing the forming lump on her head. The team came to the broom closet and Tom pressed his thumb into scanner and the door opened.

"Disappointing. 1 minute 40 seconds. How have you slowed down since the last time I timed you?" laughed…

"Zoe!"


	4. Chapter 4

**And I'm back with another three chapters in the story because I had them all pre written and got bored waiting till Saturday.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own M.I. High or any characters just the plot and the OC introduced in this story.**

 **Keri's PoV**

"Zoe!" Dan cried happily. The two practically threw themselves at each other in happiness. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too," she laughed again.

"Did you find all your sisters?" Aneisha asked, squeezing in-between Dan and Zoe to get her own hug. Tom stood there awkwardly but with his goofy smile on his face.

"All but two. The other 84 I found pretty easily, and I went and visited Kloe at MI9. You'll be pleased to know she's getting much better."

"Who didn't you find?" Tom asked. She hadn't seen me yet but it was still a surprise when she said:

"Someone who's code is J.6.3.L.1.B.1 but goes by Libi and a J.4.5.K.3.R.1 but goes by Keri." Zoe said. I stepped forward.

"Hi." Zoe looked at me and grinned.

"You're Keri, right!" she said. I nodded and to my surprise, she pulled me into a huge hug.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"After we realised that you weren't the real match for the Mastermind, we used your research to find Keri and she lead to us to Libi." Tom explained. "They're both safe and hidden from KORPS now."

"That's not technically true is it, Tom?" Aneisha pointed out. "Now KORPS is defeated, the whole of MI9 know who Keri is. After all,"

"I did get turned in the Mastermind," I finished weakly. Zoe looked at me in admiration.

"And you're still standing?" she asked in bewilderment.

"Yep." Tom filled in for me. "you should have seen it, Dan got his butt kicked so bad." Dan glared at Tom but Zoe laughed and Dan began to smile too.

"I still electrocuted her," he grinned.

"I wish I had seen it!" Zoe said.

"Me too," I agreed. "I was trapped in the Mastermind's fish tank for the whole thing." We all laughed.

"We should probably get down to base," Aneisha said finally. "Frank probably wondering where we are."

We crowded into the lift and I reached for the broom.

"This seems familiar," Tom said. "So, who votes Zoe pulls the broom?" I looked sharply at him but he didn't see. Everyone else put up their hands and Zoe pushed past me and pulled the broom down. I didn't know what to do. I always pulled the broom. Had my own sister replaced me?

"Team!" Frank yelled when we stepped out of the lift. "I called you down here half an hour ago! Where were you?"

"Sorry, Frank," Zoe said stepping forward. "It was my fault."

"Zoe!" Frank cried and pulled her into a hug. "You're back!"

"It's good to be down here again." Zoe replied. "I missed you all so much."

We crowded around the table. I felt a presence beside me, which I though was Dan like usual. But when I turned my head, I saw it was Zoe. She was between me and Dan!

"Ok, team," Frank said gesturing to screen. "This is Bryan Tony. He's the agency's best spy but recently he's gone missing." I noticed Zoe tensed slightly when Frank showed his picture.

"Wow," Aneisha said. I found myself slightly awed to. Bryan was short black hair jelled stylishly. He must have been at least six-foot and he had toned shoulders and looked like he could lift an elephant with one hand.

"I don't get girls!" Tom muttered. "If you have big muscles and good hair she'll like you!" Aneisha, Zoe and me all whacked him.

"That's so sexist!" we chorused.

"But true," Tom whispered to Dan. Frank shook his head.

"So, what's the mission?" Dan asked him. "Is it just to find and/or rescue him?"

"Pretty much, team." Frank nodded. "Go get him."

 **Next chapter should be up in minute.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own M.I High or the characters only the plot.**

 *****Keri's PoV: At an old abandoned warehouse*****

"This is the address," Dan said. "Tom can you see inside?" there was a faint tapping noise at the other end of the communicator.

"I have eyes on the prize." He said. "Bryan is being held in the main section of the building. I can see up to twenty guards in the whole place, including four surrounding Bryan. Enter with-"

"Extreme caution?" I finished for him. Zoe gave me a knowing smile. I looked ack in confusion. Does she think I like Tom?

"Ok." Dan said stepping forward. "We should split up. Aneisha, Keri can you guys made a distraction? Zoe, you and I will go extract Tony." Did Dan just choose Zoe over me?

"Come on Keri!" Aneisha said brightly. "Let's go make some noise!" I followed her out of the building.

"Ok, what wrong?" she demanded the moment the others were out of earshot. I shrugged.

"Nothing."

"I know you better than that Keri." She said sternly. "Come on, let me in."

"You wouldn't understand." I told her. "In fact, you'd probably just get mad at me."

"Fine." She shook her head. "But you should know I'm always here for you."

"Whatever. So, how are we going to distract the guards in the building?" She smiled evilly and picked up a rock.

"Get ready to run." She grinned before lobbing the rock at the window, shattering glass everywhere. A shout came from inside and we took off. I snuck a glance behind us and saw we had quite a large party of followers. There were all dressed in stunning red colour.

"I only count twelve." Aneisha gasped. "that means there's at least eight for Dan and Zoe to deal with. You think they'll be able to do it?" I shrugged.

"I reckon they'll be Ok." I replied. "Have you already forgotten that Dan took town half of SKAPULA on his own yesterday?" Aneisha laughed.

"Pretty hard to forget." She said. "But still. We don't know who we're up against. We should go back."

"NO!" I responded urgently. "That would just lead these guys back to them."

"Ok, I'll keep drawing these guys away and you get back to the warehouse and help them out." She decided. I nodded and sprinted ahead to find somewhere to lie low and let our pursuers run past me.

"Stay safe!" Aneisha called after me.

"You too!" I called back. I quickly found an alley to hide in. I held my breath as Aneisha raced past soon followed by the red clad men. I waited for a few more seconds before turning and running in the other direction.

It took me only a few minutes to find the warehouse again. I ran through the door and collided directly with Dan.

"Oof!" he spluttered as he knocked me to the floor, landing on top of me. I wouldn't say it out loud but I felt butterflies in my stomach as his arm lay across my chest.

"S… Sorry," he stuttered. I reluctantly got to my feet and he did the same.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked him. "I thought you and Zoe were extracting Bryan."

"We are." Dan explained, gesturing for me to run with him. We headed back outside and around the side of the building. We came to a window and stopped.

"It's part of the plan. Zoe's going directly in, and I'm going in through this window." He said. "I thought you were supposed to be distracting the guards. What happened? Where's Aneisha? Is she Ok?"

"She's fine. I came back to tell you that there are still eights guards in total in the warehouse," I replied, deciding not to tell him that I came back because Aneisha and I didn't think he could handle himself. "Besides the four in that room, there's four others."

"Thanks, Keri," he said fondly. "It means a lot that you came back." I looked at him and he stared into my eyes, a slight smile on his lips. I found myself almost hypnotised in his blue eyes as he leaned closer looking as he was going to kiss me. I raised my face to his, when he pulled me into a hug. I tried and failed to stop my shoulders from sinking in disappointment.

"You're the best friend anyone could have." He whispered. "Nothing will ever change between us," I squeezed my eyes closed to stop the tears from falling. He only considered me a friend. Just like I thought.

"Dan!" came the scream from inside. "Dan, help!" Dan's head shot up and his eyes widened in fear.

"Zoe!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own M.I. High, the characters only the plot.**

 **Five minutes before: Dan's PoV**

"Tom, where are we going?" I asked into my pencil.

"OK, follow the corridor for three left turns and then take the fifth door on the right." He told me. I gestured for Zoe to follow me.

"Why are there so many walls in a warehouse?" Zoe asked. "Something isn't right." I looked at her.

"What do you mean?" I asked. She was always right, if she felt something was wrong, it probably was.

"I don't know" she frowned. "But I don't like it. We should be careful."

I took a deep breath. "Do you want to talk?" she looked at me.

"About what? The mission?"

"About us," I said. "Before you left, we… I'm not sure how to say this."

"It's ok, Dan," she replied softly. "I know what you mean. And, yeah, I'd like to talk. But not now. We have to focus on the mission." I nodded.

"Ok Dan," Tom said over my communicator. "You're approaching the room where Bryan is. There are two guards by the door, one over by the window and another in front of Bryan."

"We should split up." Zoe decided. "Go outside and see if you can find the window. I'll go in through the main door so we have different angles. Got it?" I nodded and ran back the way we came.

I was about to run out of the door, when I slammed into someone. We both fell over with me on top.

It was Keri and she was breathing hard.

"S… Sorry," I stuttered quickly getting off her. She got up and straightened her jacket.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked me. "I thought you and Zoe were extracting Bryan."

"We are," I answered and gestured for her to follow. I lead her back outside and soon found the window to the room where Bryan was. I couldn't see the guard Tom had mentioned but I didn't think much of it.

"It's part of the plan." I told Keri. "Zoe's going directly in, and I'm gong in through the window." I frowned, something dawning on me.

"I though you were supposed to be distracting the guards. What happened?" I asked concern filling my voice. "Where's Aneisha? Is she OK?"

"She's fine. I came back to tell you that there are still eights guards in total in the warehouse," Keri explained looking a bit guilty. I sighed in relief. "Besides the four in that room, there's four others." She finished.

"Thanks, Keri," I said. "It means a lot that you came back." I leaned closer and gave her a hug. "You're the best anyone could have. Nothing will ever change between us."

"Dan!" came the scream from inside. "Dan, help!" my head shot up and my eyes widened in fear.

"Zoe!" I cried. I had completely forgotten about the plan. She was in there on her own! "Keri, give me a boost up to the window." She looked at me.

"Right, because I can lift you up." She said sarcastically. "How about you give me a leg up." I sighed and got down on one knee, clasping my hands. She put on boot on my hands and a hand on my shoulder. With smooth ease, she slid open the window.

"On three," I whispered. "One… two… three." With all my might. I sent her flying up to the window and she slipped in. Once I was sure she was inside, I ran back into the building.

 **Keri's PoV**

The moment, I slid through the window I was attacked from all sides by four of the guards. The four me and Neish had left behind must have come into the room I dodged under a punch to the face but fell right into a punch to the stomach. The air was knocked from my lungs and it took all my strength not to fall. While I was still wheezing, someone kicked my knee and the pain from my broken leg spiked.

The painkillers were fading and my wrist was beginning to throb. I was outnumbered and in no fit state to fight.

I hope Dan comes soon.

 **Zoe's PoV**

The second I got into the room, I was ambushed by four men. I fought strong but these guys never seemed to stay down. Every time I delivered a blow and should normally kill someone they just got up again. It was impossible: it was like they were death-defying machines. No matter what I did, I couldn't beat them.

And where was Dan?

"Give up already!" one of them spat as he delivered a karate chop to my neck.

"Dan!" I screamed. "Dan help!"

"Shut up!" the man snarled kicking me to the floor.

I hope Dan comes soon.

 **Dan's PoV**

I ran into the room and saw both girls in trouble. Zoe was on the floor in pain blood running freely down her arms, clutching her neck in pain. Keri was on her knees being harshly kicked with a split lip. Tony was unconscious, tied to a chair.

Who do I save first?


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm back at school now, so updates may be a little less constant.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own M. I. High or the characters just the plot.**

 **Aneisha's PoV**

After Keri ran ahead, I realised that I should probably work out where I was leading these guys. At the moment, I was just running away. But sooner or later, I'd get lost.

I saw the sign and headed into Hyde park in the hopes of loosing them in amongst the crowds of people.

Big mistake. The moment I was out in the open they surrounded me. I mentally facepalmed. How could I be so stupid? Did I really think I could lose my tails in a big open space?

I raised my hands, not willing to go down without a fight. I was in a good place; the Serpentine was behind me so I couldn't be sneaked up on.

"Bring it, brutes!" I snapped. The first one advanced on her with fists raised. He threw three quick jabs which I dodged and returned. The first man went down. Another two came and went next.

I was doing well, but there was no way I could hold off twelve of them at a time. Another two launched themselves into an attack. I ducked and by luck they didn't stop. Both men tumbled over my back and fell into the Serpentine. I was about to take on the other ten when a sizzling electric noise came from behind me. Turning my back on the others, my jaw dropped open.

"No way!"

 **Tom's PoV**

I sat in HQ eating my biscuits and bored out of my mind. I was just tucking into my second packet of chocolate digestives when Dan said:

"Tom, where are we going?" I quickly directed them to the room where Bryan was. I took a few seconds to hack in to the cameras in the room. On one screen was the actual image, on the other, was a thermal image.

"Ok Dan, you're approaching the room where Bryan is. There are two guards by the door, one over by the window and another in front of Bryan." He clicked of his communicator and I went back to the biscuits.

As I casually looked around the room in boredom, I saw something that made my eyes widen.

"No way!"

 **Aneisha's PoV**

They're robots! The guards are all robots, just like the KORTEX ones. Looking around frantically, I saw a jogger. I sprinted over.

"Hi," I said quickly. "Do you mind if I borrow this?" before she could answer I swiped her water bottle.

"I hope this if going to be enough," I muttered under my breath. The guards were closing back in on me. I threw half of the contents at three of them and they went down and this time, they didn't get up. The others took one look at the bottle and ran.

"That was easy." I muttered. Then it hit me. If they were running, they must be going back to the warehouse. And I had no idea whether or not the mission was complete.

Worst distraction ever.

"Tom!" I said into my pencil.

"Neish," he said immediately. "Are you Ok, you'll never guess what I just found out."

"The guards are robots." I replied.

"No. The guards are robots." He said before realising he had just repeated me. "I mean, exactly!"

"You need to tell Dan and Zoe." I said. "They have no idea what they are up against and they have another eight coming their way!"

"I'm already on it." He replied. "See you back at base."

"Yeah, see you," I said, but he was already gone. I sighed and made my way back to the rendezvous we had agreed before we had entered the warehouse. I couldn't stop thinking about Tom. I had never even considered that I might like him as more than a friend. But after we had kissed I developed feelings I never knew I had to develop in the first place.

But I guess hoping he returns them is stupid.


	8. Chapter 8

**Dan's PoV**

I looked from Zoe, to Keri, to Tony and I didn't know what to do. In my head I could hear three different voices screaming at me.

' _Save Zoe!'_ my own voice shouted.

' _Save Keri!'_ Frank's voice shot back. _'Zoe can look after herself but Keri is in-experienced!'_

' _Mind on the mission agent!'_ Stella's voice barked. _'Get Tony!'_

"Dan!" Tom's voice called over my pencil. I raised it to my ear. "The guards are robots."

I did a double take, "what?"

"Like the ones we were up against when we were fighting KORPS. Use your EMP grenade!"

I quickly grabbed two from my belt. One I send whizzing towards the men… sorry robots surrounding Zoe and the other towards Keri. The robots started jerking as blue light flashed off them. Both girls covered their heads as the robots crumpled in a heap on the floor. I sighed in relief and untied Tony. He his eyes flickered briefly and he lifted his head.

"Who are you?" he snapped. I raised an eyebrow.

"Agent Morgan," I said. "And a 'thanks' would be nice" I shook my head and walked off only to be pounced on my Keri. I grinned and hugged her tightly.

"What took you so long?" she complained sarcastically. I laughed.

"Sorry." I said. "I got lost." She laughed as well and I hugged her again. I was so glad she was OK. I helped her over to the wall and sat her down.

 **Keri's PoV**

As I slid down the wall, I saw Zoe walked nervously over to Bryan and help him up. They talked for a bit then he smiled and brushed a strand of hair from her face. I frowned. What was that about?

"Keri!" Dan said in concern. "How's your leg?" I looked down and shrugged at it.

"Hurting like hell. Same as my wrist." I replied. He sighed and I shivered as his finger brushed my lip, wiping away some blood. He shook his head.

"Why can't you stop getting hurt?" he asked sternly. "Stop making me worry so much." I felt a tingly in my stomach. At first, I thought it was because he was worrying about me, but then I realised that if was the pain from when I got punched in the stomach.

"Keri!" Dan cried as I crumpled into his arms. "Keri what's wrong?" I helplessly pointed to my stomach and he groaned.

"We need to get you some medical help." He said. "You could have internal bleeding." He helped me up and over to the door.

"Zoe, Tony," Dan called over his shoulder. "Let's go." The two followed us out of the warehouse and outside. But when we got there, there was a welcoming committee.

"Stop where you are!" one of them shouted. We shared a look. There were eight of them, and four of us. But three of us were badly injured and there was no way Dan could take them on by himself.

We were trapped.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey, guys. I don't usually, do an opening author's note, but this is pretty important.**

 **I was looking at the profiles of the people who have favourited this story, and one of them is a Zan supporter.**

 **And, although this is technically spoiling the story, this is ultimately going to be a Deri fanfic. So, if you dislike this pairing, I would advise you to stop reading so you don't get disappointed.**

 **Anyway,**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own M.I. High or the characters, but I do own the story**

 **Zoe's PoV**

I saw Dan drop into a fighting pose, but we all knew there was no way he could defend all of us and himself. Keri raised her fists beside him and Dan rewarded her with his dashing smile.

Jealousy flashed in front of my eyes and I joined them. Bryan hung back.

"Keri, Zoe." Dan said quietly. "You're both injured. Let me do this."

"Dan, you can't do this alone." Keri responded bravely. "I'm not leaving you."

"Me neither," I added quickly. He glanced at us in concern but nodded.

"On my count," he said as the guards started towards us. "One, two…" before he could finish, Bryan leapt forward.

With sharp, precise delivered punches he knocked them all down. Dan and Keri gaped and I hid my smile.

Bryan grabbed two and bashed their heads together, then threw them at another three. They all went down in a shower of sparks. He ripped the head off another and stomped on the others until they didn't move again.

He smirked at Dan. "That's how you do it, _kid_."

Although I was awed at the skill Bryan had just shown, I felt bad for Dan. I was about to comfort him but Keri got there first.

"We should head back to the rendezvous." I said holding back my jealousy as Dan wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled affectionately.

"Zoe's right." Bryan said. They nodded agreement and Dan helped her limp away. Bryan did the same for me.

 **No one's PoV**

On the journey back to base, Bryan drove the van while Zoe and Keri lay in the back on camp beds as Dan treated their wounds. He had wrapped Zoe's arm in a bandage, put Keri's wrist in a splint and given her a few more painkillers for her leg.

"You both need to rest." He told them. "I meet Neish at the rendezvous, don't worry about getting up again." After making sure they were both alright again, Dan joined Bryan at the front of the van.

They sat in hostile silence until Dan sighed.

"Look," he began, "I just wanted to say thanks."

"Took you long enough!" Bryan snapped back. Dan took a deep breath and tried again.

"You know, we should be friends. There's no point us being against each other." He said.

"Debatable." Bryan replied. He pulled up at the rendezvous. "Get out." He ordered. Dan sighed angrily and jumped down from the van.

"You look angry." Aneisha joked as he stomped towards her. "What's happened?"

"That Tony dude is a complete arrogant idiot." He said. Aneisha frowned.

"If you say so." She shrugged. "Did you get Tom's warning?" she added, referring to the robots. Dan nodded.

"Thanks, I would never have been able to complete this mission if you hadn't found out." She smiled.

"And I wouldn't be alive." She grinned. "It was a stroke of luck I tripped two in a river." Dan laughed.

"Stop lazing around!" Bryan scowled from the van. "I know it may be different for you idiots, but some of us have a life to get back to." Dan and Aneisha shared a look.

"I see what you mean." She whispered as they climbed in the back of the van.

"Shh." Dan hissed as he pointed to the sleeping Keri and Zoe. "They need to rest."

"Are they OK?" Aneisha asked worriedly. "What happened?"

"They insist their both fine." Dan replied. "But Zoe may have a cracked collar bone and Keri said she took a hard blow to the stomach and might have internal bleeding." He sighed and sat between them on the floor. "Not to mention she already has her leg and wrist. I don't know what to do." Aneisha sat with him and patted his shoulder.

"Dan, you need to rest too." She said gesturing to the empty camp bed. "I'll look after them." Dan looked exhausted but shook his head.

"No, I'm fine." He replied stubbornly "What about you?" she glared at him.

"Dan." She ordered. "Sleep. Now." He hung his head but got up and lay on the spare camp bed.

 ***** Back at Base*****

When the team arrived back at St Hearts, Keri and Zoe were taken back to hospital. Stella and Bryan travelled back to MI9 and Aneisha and Dan went down to their HQ.

"Good work, team!" Frank congratulated them. "You can head back to school now, I'll keep you updated on Keri and Zoe."

"What do you mean?" Dan asked immediately.

"They both need operations for their injuries." He noticed the worried look on Dan's face. "But they're in good hands. Don't worry, they'll both be fine." He ushered them into the lift.

"This is all my fault" Dan moaned. Aneisha pulled him into a friendly hug.

"No, it isn't." she assured him. "It could have happened to any of us."

"And you did save them in the end." Tom added. Dan sighed but nodded.

"I just hope they're OK." He whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

**Bit of a longer chapter today because it's Chapter 10! Yay!**

 *****Tom's PoV- One week later*****

I sat in Maths class in misery. Mrs King was ranting about pi and the area of a circle, but I was paying no attention.

I couldn't stop think and Aneisha and the kiss.

I always like her. Definitely more than a friend. But I always thought she hated me. Found me annoying. Irritating. But she kissed me. What did that mean?

Something hit me in the back of the head. On the floor beside me was a ball of paper: I picked it up.

' _We need to talk'_ it read. _'A'_. I assumed it was from Aneisha so I wrote on the back.

' _When and where?'_ Then realised that it would be hard to get it back to her without Mrs King noticing. The longer the lesson went on, the more doubts I was getting.

If she liked me the way I do her, why had she waited all this time to tell me? What if she wanted to talk about something else? What is she wanted to talk so she could say no? What if it wasn't even Aneisha but someone else who's name started with an 'A'?

This is a complete nightmare!

 **No ones' PoV**

"The area of the circle is equal to pi multiplied by the radius of the circle multiplied by itself." Mrs King said. "Is that clear?"

Everyone nodded slowly. Mrs King sighed.

Dan was too busy worrying about Zoe and Keri. He hadn't seen either of them in a week and there had been no news about their conditions. He was desperate to see how they were doing, but Frank insisted they be allowed to recover in peace.

"Daniel Morgan!" Mrs King said sharply. Dan looked up. "If the diameter of the full circle is 10cm, what is the area of the quarter circle, in terms of pi?"

Aneisha winced. That was a harsh question to force upon Dan in his state of mind. The blonde looked blank for a bit, then shook his head.

"Dunno," he muttered. Mrs King scowled.

"Does anyone know?" she demanded. Silence. "I'll try again."

As Mrs King turned back to the board, the rubbers on the end of the team's pencils buzzed and they rushed out of the room.

"This is our first mission since the warehouse." Tom said.

"I wonder if we'll get any news from Zoe and Keri." Dan worried.

"I'm sure we will." Aneisha assured him pressing her thumb into the scanner. The team filed into the lift and Dan pulled the broom.

"Team," Frank said as they crowed around the table. "The Prime minister has requested that you accompany him to the royal wedding tomorrow, as his personal bodyguards."

"Just me and Aneisha?" Dan asked. "Surely that won't be enough for a full bodyguard squad?"

"That's right Dan," Frank agreed. "But don't worry. The PM's usual security will be there too and we have some others how will be there too." Frank smiled.

Behind them, the lift opened to reveal two people.

"Keri, Zoe!" Dan cried. Big smiles lit up Tom and Aneisha's face.

"Welcome back, Team!" Frank said as they had a huge group hug.

"How are you guys doing?" Dan asked.

"I'm absolutely fine!" Keri replied. "You'll never guess what I have."

"What?" they all asked.

"She got a bionic leg." It was Zoe who answered. "They said that the bone was too badly broken so she had an operation to put a bionic hinge beneath her knee cap."

"That's so awesome!" Dan gushed.

"Yep! Now, I can run twice as fast and kick twice as strong." Keri grinned.

"Doesn't it hurt?" Dan asked her. Keri shrugged.

"Not really." Keri said. "I was unconscious for the operation and I was out for three days." Dan laughed.

"What about your neck Zoe?" Aneisha asked. Zoe smiled slightly that someone had thought to ask but a little disappointed it wasn't Dan.

"It's a bit stiff but otherwise it's fine." She said. Dan walked over to her.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered. Aneisha shooed everyone else away, to give them some alone time.

"It wasn't your fault, Dan." She replied quietly. "You can't blame yourself."

"But I do." He muttered. "I shouldn't have let Keri distract me. You both got hurt because of me."

"But we're both fine." Zoe reminded him. He nodded and sighed.

"I'm just glad your OK," he said lightly pressing a kiss to her forehead.

 **Keri's PoV**

After Aneisha ushered us away, we turned back to Frank.

"What's our cover for the mission?" Aneisha asked. Frank turned to the screen.

"Dan will be posing as the PM's son who just came back from a finishing school and Zoe will be his girlfriend." I dropped my head. Of course _she_ was his girlfriend.

"Aneisha," Frank continued. "you've been asked to be the PM's sister's bodyguard and therefore you are going undercover as her daughter and the PM's niece, and Keri and Bryan will be posing as each other's fiancés and another royal couple at the wedding." He handed out memory sticks. "Here are the files. Backstories, reasons for being at the wedding and all that. I suggest you memorise it in good time for tomorrow." We each took a stick. I turned around to give Dan's his when I saw him kiss Zoe on the forehead.

Tears welled in my eyes. He had officially chosen her over me.

 *****No one's PoV- in the hospital- three days ago*****

 _Keri was wheeled back into the dorm room at about 8:00 in the morning. Zoe looked up from her book._

" _How was the operation?" she asked her sister._

" _It wasn't," Keri replied. "It was just a check up to see if the operation had worked." Zoe nodded but that was the last thing said between them for the next hour._

" _This is ridiculous!" Keri blurted suddenly. "We're supposed to be sisters, yet we hardly talk!"_

" _Then, let's fix that." Zoe responded. "Let's forget we're spies. Let's be normal teenage girls. Let's 'gossip'"_

" _Alright then." Keri agreed. "What do they talk about?"_

" _Why are you asking me?" Zoe replied. "I spent my childhood training to be a SKUL agent!" they laughed._

" _Well, I guess the most popular topic would be boys," Keri said slowly._

" _You and Tom, right?" Zoe grinned. Keri wrinkled her nose._

" _No!" she cried indignantly. "More like Tom and Aneisha!"_

" _Well," Zoe replied frowning. "Who else could you like? Dan?" she laughed._

" _Why not?" Keri shot back. Zoe scowled._

" _You like Dan?" she said. "But you can't!"_

" _Why not?" Keri repeated._

" _Because…"_

" _Girls please!" the nurse shouted, storming in."Keep it down in here. Other people are complaining."_

 _The girls glared at each other but didn't speak again until they were checked out three days later._

 *****Present day: Keri's PoV*****

The moment I saw them, the lift doors opened and Bryan and Stella walked out. The man saw Dan and anger flashed across his face. He crossed the room in a couple of strides and tossed Dan to the floor like a rage doll.

"Back off my girlfriend!" he snarled.

 **Dan's PoV**

 _What!?_

 **Ok, I have a question for you guys. Should the note Tom received actually be from Aneisha or from someone else to make Aneisha jealous? Tell me in a review.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey everybody, I'm not going to lie, this chapter took a very long time for me to write. Almost two weeks. I have managed to post it on time, but I have a pretty bad writers block. If anyone has any ideas for the mission chapter, I would be very grateful.**

 **No one's PoV**

Dan's eyes widened and he bolted.

Silence in the base.

"I'll go," Keri said breaking it. Mutual understanding between the team. Someone had to follow him and Keri was probably the best one.

"You should all get back up to the school," Frank said slowly. "But be here at ten tomorrow for the mission."

Tom, Aneisha, Frank and Stella all got into the lift.

"Zoe, Bryan?" Aneisha asked. "You coming."

"Sure-" Bryan started.

"We'll catch up." Zoe interrupted. The lift doors closed. "You complete idiot!" she barked the moment they were gone.

"What? Why?" he protested.

"Why the heck did you say that?" she shouted.

"It's true though." He pointed out. She punched him in the arm.

"Yeah. It was true three months ago." She punched him again. "And may I remind you it was _you_ who broke up with _me_!"

"Can I say no to being reminded?" he asked hopefully. She punched him again then kicked him between the legs.

"OW!" He howled crumpling to the floor. Zoe didn't bother to hide her smile as she walked into the lift.

 **Keri's PoV**

Once I got upstairs I headed towards the gym where I knew I would find Dan.

It didn't take me long to get there and when I did, I saw him climbing up a rope to his secret hiding place in the attic.

"Dan!" I called up to him. He stopped and looked down at me. After a long sigh and replacing the loose panel in the ceiling, he slid down the rope.

"What is it?" he asked. I placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled sadly.

"You want to talk?" I asked him. He shrugged and stepped closer.

"About what?" he muttered. "About how I fell in love with a girl who left me only to come back, lead me on, then reveal she has a boyfriend who is a complete jerk? About how I suddenly realised that I have feelings for someone else but don't know if she likes me back? About how that girl is standing right in front of me?"

 **No one's PoV**

Aneisha felt so bad for Dan. She knew he had always liked Zoe but always thought she was pure enough to tell him that she had a boyfriend. The poor boy must be in tears at the moment.

"Frank, don't you think we should change the mission profiles?" Stella asked. They all looked at her.

"Why?" Tom asked, clueless as always. Aneisha mentally pace palmed.

"If Bryan and Zoe are a couple, it makes more sense for them to be posing as fiancés than Bryan and Keri." she explained. He nodded.

"We'll go sort it out." Stella said and she and Frank walked off.

"Hey Aneisha," Tom said slowly. "We-" he was cut off.

"Tom!" called a bouncy blonde with big glasses who was skipping down the corridor towards them. The two turned around.

"What do you want, Bella?" Aneisha snarled. Bella ignored her.

"Tom, I need you." She said instead. Tom glanced at Aneisha who shrugged and walked off.

"What is it?" he asked Bella. She frowned.

"You didn't get my note?" she asked. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"That was from you?" he stuttered. "you're A?"

"Yeah!" she replied brightly. "I was going to write 'B', but I thought it would be more romantic to be mysterious!"

"Romantic?" Tom squeaked. "But-"

"Do you want to do a study date on Friday?" he noticed she put extra emphasis on 'date'. Tom rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Look," he said gently. "You're great and everything but-"

"Please Tom!" she begged. Tom began to feel bad, but he like Aneisha. Definitely not Bella. He was about to say no again, when he felt his pencil communicator buzzing in his pocket.

"Fine," he sighed, knowing she wouldn't leave him alone until he agreed.

"Yay!" she grinned and placed a kiss on his cheek before skipping away.

Tom turned around, dazed, and saw Aneisha.

"Neish!" he cried as she stormed pass him. "Wait! Let me explain!" she ignored him.

"What have I done?" he moaned.

 **I got a review telling me that it should have been Aneisha who sent to letter, but when I considered the storyline and what I had in mind when I started writing this story, I realised that it made more sense from it to be from Bella. Sorry** **Luella3132.**


	12. Chapter 12

*****Flashback: three months ago, No one's PoV*****

 _Zoe stormed down the hallway in tears. Behind her, Bryan was rolling his eyes at his mates and following her._

" _Zoe!" he called, "Don't be like this!" she spun around with fierce anger burning in her eyes._

" _You get dared by your stupid mates to ask me on a date," She hissed. "Then, you decided to tell me and you think you're going to get away with it?"_

" _Come on, Zoe," he sighed. "I don't want to fight with you in front of my friends. Don't make such a big deal about this all. Especially considering this is your fault." She clenched her fists._

" _This is all my fault?" she snarled. "Say that again!" he sighed again and looked at her in the eyes._

" _You are overreacting!" he said. She punched him in the face._

" _I hate you!" she screamed. "I never want to see you again!"_

 *****End of flashback: still no one's PoV*****

When Zoe heard she was being reassigned to the M.I. High project, she was overjoyed. She expected that to be the end of Bryan and his stupid tricks. She thought she would never see him again and she was absolutely fine with that.

But the moment she got back, he was once again thrust again into her life.

 **Zoe's PoV**

I left, Bryan in the base and went back up to the school.

I needed to talk to Dan.

Explain to him.

I can't believe Bryan had said that. He broke up with me and shattered my heart. And now he comes back and says we're still together. Why? What's in it for him?

I found myself wandering around the school corridors, not knowing where I would find Dan. I actually got quite lost and it was only by luck that I found Roly.

"Have you seen Dan?" I asked him. "Or Keri?" I added a quick thought. He shrugged.

"I think I saw them together in the gym." He replied and strode off.

My jaw dropped.

My eyes widened.

My heart was pierced by ice.

It hadn't really occurred to me that they would be alone. I ran towards the hall, dreading to think what was happening between them, now that I appeared to be taken.

 **Keri's PoV**

"Dan," I said slowly. "What did you just say?"

He didn't answer. Just kissed me.

It was slow and gentle, and I instantly melted into him. I felt his hand on my hips, pulling me closer.

It was the most amazing thing I had ever experienced in my life. The guy of my dreams had just revealed his love for me!

He pulled away suddenly, looking guilty.

"I'm sorry, Keri," he whispered. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm so sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck and stepped back again. He looked so afraid.

"Dan," I said, just as quietly. His eyes met mine for a brief second, then dropped back to the floor.

"Dan," I repeated. "It's Ok. I think I love you too." He raised his head and dragged me into another of his bear hugs. But this time it felt different. It made me feel safe.

Wanted.

Loved.

I buried my head in his shoulder and he surprised me as he trailed kisses down the back of my neck. I looked at him.

"You're so beautiful." He said fondly. I smiled up at him and he joined our lips again.

"Dan?" we broke apart and turned around.

There stood Zoe, looking heartbroken. I felt a bit bad as I saw tears welled in her eyes and then she sprinted out of the gym.

"I suppose you want to go after her," I said sadly. He laughed and cupped my chin and made me look him in his eyes.

"I don't want her." He replied and butterflies fluttered in my stomach. "I only want you."


	13. Chapter 13

**No one's PoV**

It was the next day and the royal wedding and the team were in position. When the PM walked into the church, he had five obvious bodyguards surrounding him; one taking up the point position, two on each side, one handing back a little and the final one standing on his right. Next came Dan and Keri, both dressed smart and beautiful. Dan in a light blue suit, similar to the one he had worn to the trip in Boldovia. Keri was sporting a striking red dress to match her hair and a golden band across her forehead keeping her hair from her face. As Dan was posing as the PM's son, he also had a bodyguard but they both knew he could look after himself.

Bryan and Zoe were somewhere else in the room but with a good view of all the exits, the possible entrance points and, of course, the PM.

"Prime Minister!" the press shouted from every direction. The PM was as charming as he could be with all the attention he was getting, although, at close quarters, Dan could see he was getting a little bored and the smile he kept flashing never really reached his eyes. Thankfully at that exact moment, his sister appeared at his side.

"David!" she cried happily. A genuine smile lit across the PM's face.

"Claire!" he replied with equal happiness. "Quinten," he said to Dan, "You remember your aunt, Claire?" Dan stepped forward with a dashing smile.

"Of course," he said bowing his head in acknowledgment. She laughed and pulled him into a hug.

"So formal, dear nephew!" she laughed. "And who is this beautiful lady?" she asked gesturing to Keri. Dan smiled proudly.

"This is Clementine," he introduced, "My girlfriend. We met at school." Keri did a small curtsey. Claire laughed again.

"I say!" she exclaimed to her brother. "What do they feed these children at that Swiss school?" The PM shrugged and laid a hand on his 'son's' shoulder.

"Whatever it was, it did the job," he said gravely. "Quinten, would you care to enlighten your aunt on what you were up to before I sent off?" Dan grimaced.

"Father," he said stiffly, "perhaps this could wait for another time?" Claire patted him on the head.

"Give him a break, David," she scolded. Then over her shoulder, "Florence! Florence do come here and see your uncle." Aneisha appeared at Claire's shoulder. She was wearing a flowing black dress with a white cardigan.

"Yes, Mother," she said sounding bored.

"Florence, you remember your cousin, Quinten, and uncle, David?" Aneisha shrugged.

"Sure do," she muttered. Claire shook her head and cleared her throat somewhat angrily. "What happened to you. Quin?" Aneisha continued, gesturing to his suit.

"Florence," Dan replied formally. "It is great to see you again." Aneisha rolled her eyes.

"And I see you picked up a little puppy to follow you around." She added, pointing to Keri, who bristled.

Although it may not seem it, this was all planned…


	14. Chapter 14

**This chapter's a little early because I'm going on holiday for the weekend and won't be able to update then.**

 **No one's PoV**

 **The day before:**

When the agents were called back to the base, they all crowded around the table in the middle.

"What's going on, Frank?" Zoe asked in concern.

"Team," Frank started, "We've just received an anonymous tip had been sent stating that the PM and his sister are almost certainly going to be targeted tomorrow. We need to make sure that they both have a way to get out of the building without the press getting any ideas." He sighed. "Speaking of which… Does anyone have any?"

There was an uneasy silence.

"What about a fake fight?" Bryan wheezed, hauling himself to the table. He expected a withering glare from Dan, but when he was denied, he re-directed his own glare at Zoe.

"This is a royal wedding, Tony," snapped Dan. "We can't just start a fight. Everyone there is going to be important, the odds of one of them starting a fight is ridiculous. The press will sniff out a rouse within seconds."

"What do you suggest then?" Bryan scowled.

"Wait!" Keri interrupted as Dan started towards him. "A fight may not be that much of a bad idea."

 **Present day:**

"Florence!" Claire snapped finally losing her cool. "What did you just call her?" all around them, the press was gathering, eager for the 'disagreement' to increase for the best story.

"Perhaps we should give each other some space," the PM suggested glancing nervously at the cameras being thrust in their direction. Dan shot a look at Aneisha and wrapped a protective arm around Keri.

"I can hardly express my agreement!" he growled.

Over coms, Tom smiled. The plan was working perfectly. Keri's idea had been to start a fight between her and Aneisha. If the imminent attack did come, it would be seen by him over cameras and he could warn his team. Then, Keri and Aneisha could get 'really mad' and give the PM and his sister an excuse to leave. Stella had a MI9 team at the ready to intercept the enemy agents just in case.

Off to one side, Bryan and Zoe were arguing again.

"What have I done this time?" he murmured. Zoe rounded on him in fury.

"Why the heck did you say that I'm your girlfriend?" she shot right back. "Did you see the look on Dan's face?"

" _Why the heck_ …" he mimicked. "Why the heck do you care?"

"I can't believe the nerve you have!" she hissed. "Don't you understand?"

"Understand what?" Bryan snapped back. "Because right now, I think it's you who doesn't understand! Daniel Morgan is a complete jerk and he doesn't deserve you!"

"What?" she turned to him sharply. He looked shifty.

"I'm trying to protect you," he said. "Don't you get it? I said that because-"

"Because you're jealous that he's a better agent than you!" she finished angrily. He scowled.

"He so isn't!" he snarled in reply. Zoe glared at him before quickly replacing it with a smile as they were approached by a photographer.

"Don't think we won't pick this up later!" she whispered through the corner of her mouth.


	15. Chapter 15

**No one's PoV**

 _ **A few hours before:**_

" _Korps may be destroyed. But their legacy will live on. We will continue what they started. MI9 won't be able to stop us. We will rule the world. Brothers, Sisters, UNITE! Phantom is ascending from the deep depths of hell."_

 **Present day**

"Phantom!" the Ringmaster shouted. "We must prepare. The attack on the PM and his blasted sister is imminent."

 **Keri's PoV**

I walked down the centre of the church, with Dan by my side.

"This could be us, one day," he said. I smiled and playfully punched his arm.

"Don't step over the boundary." I told him. He smiled back and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"Ew!" Aneisha squealed from behind us. "Get a room your two!" we turned and pretended to be mad.

"What do you want, Florence?" Dan snapped. Aneisha shrugged and smiled grimly as she nodded over his shoulder.

"Quinten!" the PM said angrily. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. Dan scowled discreetly.

"It is nothing, Father." He replied smartly.

"I beg to differ," Aneisha interrupted. "I would like a word with my cousin." Dan walked off with her. I was left with the PM.

"I apologise for my niece's behaviour," he said formally. He turned around and winked at me before walking off himself. I had to hide my smile. This was one of my best ideas yet.

 **Dan's PoV**

"What is it?" I asked Aneisha as she pulled me to one side. She looked really worried.

"We have received intel that a criminal gang called 'Phantom' is about to launch an attack on the PM and his sister." She explained quickly. My eyes widened on concern.

"That's really not good," I muttered. I turned to her. "We need to get them out."

"On it" she agreed, then raised her voice so everyone could hear. "She's such a prick, I don't see in her what you do!"

At the code phrase, Zoe and Bryan locked eyes with me and started their way to the door to inform the MI9 team who were situated in the back room. Keri also met my eyes and nodded slightly.

"How dare you say that about her?" I snapped back at Aneisha. "I thought you could be a bit more supportive towards the girl I love!" Keri stormed up.

"I assume you're talking about me," she enquired angrily. Aneisha shrugged.

"Probably." She said. Keri snarled and lunged towards her. Aneisha let out a high pitch scream and they ended up in a sort of grapple off. I stepped in between as Keri started pulling Aneisha's hair. She, in turn, clawed at Keri's dress. I grabbed Aneisha around the waist and lifted her up.

Claire and the PM stormed over.

"Will you all stop fighting!" he shouted. Everyone turned and stared as I dropped Aneisha and the girls stepped back from each other, glaring.

"I think it is about time we left," Claire said sharply. Aneisha rolled her eyes but allowed her 'mother' to lead her away.

"The same goes for us!" The PM agreed and Keri and I followed him out. I snuck a glance behind and saw the press scrambling over themselves to follow us. But we quickly got outside and entered our parked car.

As we drove away, the PM turned to me and Keri.

"What is the meaning of this?" he thundered. "I was informed that there would be no need for an extraction!" I winced and pressed back into my chair. Keri glanced at me also.

"I'd also like an explanation," she said. I blurted out what Aneisha had told me. The PM drummed his fingers thoughtfully.

"Interesting." He said finally. Then into his phone, "I want a full write up on these Phantom people." He barked. "Where they come from, what they want, who leads them and how much of a threat are they!" he snapped his phone shut and gave me a warm smile.

"Thanks for the head's up and getting me and my sister out of there," he said. I shrugged.

"I was just doing my job," I replied and he turned in his seat and started tapping away on his phone.

"You are far to modest," Keri told me sternly. "But anyway, I just heard from Aneisha. She and the PM's sister are one their way back to Number 10," I breathed a sigh of relief, glad that they were safe.

"Mission accomplished!" I grinned.

 **Just wanted to say, sorry if, for the past chapters, I captured the whole 'royal wedding' and the PM wrong.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Ten minutes earlier – Zoe's PoV**

When we heard the code phrase, Bryan and I quickly rushed into the adjacent room to alert the MI9 standby team. They looked bored and it took a few minutes for me to gather their whole attention. While I explained to the team what was happening, Bryan pulled out his MI9 standard issue packet of gum.

"We have action," I heard him say to Stella over his gum communicator. I pulled my dress over my head to reveal my black spy suit. I wasn't taking any chances that I would trip over the long fabric of my disguise while I was mid-combat.

"OK team," Bryan ordered. "split into three teams. Two of you go outside and try and work out where these agents are coming from. Hopefully we can find the threat and terminate it before they can get in and the press get a wind of it. The final group should stay here in case the first two fail." He glared at everyone. "Questions?" no one dared speak any concerns, so he nodded and ushered each team out.

"What team are we in?" I asked Bryan. He pursed his lips thoughtfully.

"I'll head the one of the hit teams, you take the other," he said finally. I nodded and followed the team out the front.

"Zoe!" one of the men shouted. "We have eyes on the targets." I hurried over and was pretty astonished at what I saw.

If this was Phantom, they were pretty unimpressive, definitely not the expected criminal organization.

There were probably twenty of them in total. They wore brown waist coats and ripped shorts. They looked like they had come from the lowest of London society. In each hand they held black batons but I figured it would be pretty easy to disarm them if need be.

But the man at the front, the man I assumed was the leader, was the strangest of all. At the front of the four lines of five, he was wearing the brightest outfit I ever saw. It was fluorescent orange with neon green stripes crisscrossing down it and a bright purple cape.

He turned to his troops and raised hands for silence. I strained to hear what he was saying, but we were too far away.

I turned to my own men instead. "I don't think we're going to need all of us to attack." I said. "I'll take three or four of you and the rest can go and inform Agent Tony's team to do the same" my men nodded and three stepped forward in nomination to help take down this so called criminal organization.

As the rest of them ran off to find Bryan's group, I signalled to the remaining few.

"Let's shoot to injure not to kill," I told them. "I'm not sure these guys know what they're doing." My men nodded and we started towards them.

None of us knew that we were about to enter the fight of our lives.

 **Sorry it was short today, but I'm really struggling on how to move this part of the story forward.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Friday – Tom's PoV**

It's been a horrible past few days.

After the major mission failure on Tuesday, everyone is really down in the dumps. Frank and Stella are still trying to get over the fact that we lost five of our best agents and we have no way of finding them again, Aneisha is worried sick about Zoe, Keri is grieving for the loss of her sister, even if they didn't start off too well and don't even get me started on Dan.

He's a mix of guilt, sorrow and somehow joy at the same time. But that's how he appears on the outside. I know him well enough and I see that he's really horrified that he let Zoe slip through his fingers, and like usual he blames himself. I know he never liked Bryan, but he was in charge of that mission and he is constantly beating himself up for just running away with the PM when he could have stayed to help them fight Phantom.

I don't know what to feel. On one hand, I lost a friend, and I'm worried sick for her. On the other, they disappeared into thin air and the scientific side of me is dying to understand what happened.

But all that doesn't matter right now. I have to focus on my study date with Bella.

Is this really my life?

 **Aneisha's PoV**

" _You, me, a movie and the night to ourselves," Tom said to me. I smiled and leaned in. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around my waist._

I shook myself out of my trance, and in a second, Tom was on the floor, rolling around clutching the wrist I just snapped.

Only it wasn't Tom.

It was the Kevin, the pro rugby player in our school and all-round loser. It made sense that he was making a move on me because he was failing in all his classes and needed a tutor. And like the dumb idiot he is, he assumed that because I'm a teacher's niece, I would be the best person to choose. And like the jerk he is, he would try and get me to go out with him so it seemed like when I was tutoring him, it could count as a 'date'.

"I'm not interested," I snapped and stalked off, leaving his groans in the distance. I turned a corner and overheard the most unpleasant voice in the whole school.

"Yeah, Tom and I have our date tonight," _Bella_. That little witch who stole away the man I truly love from me.

"You must be so excited," one of the witch's follower gushed.

"I am!" the witch gushed back. "Isn't he the cutest boy in the entire school?" I rolled my eyes. Even though it was true, it didn't sound so when it was the witch who said it. It occurred to me then, that if Tom had a 'girlfriend' it probably meant that he wasn't interested in me. Tears threatened to fall as a grim smile played across my lips.

Well. Two can play that game Thomas Tupper.

I ran back to Kevin and put on a high pitch, 'girly' voice.

"Kevin!" I cried and rushed to his side. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know what I was doing," he groaned but forced a manly smiled, which I assumed was supposed to be charming, onto his face and allowed me to help him up.

"So," I continued, "About that date?" he grinned.

 **Tom's PoV**

No way.

Aneisha's dating the school's pro footballer now?

I don't stand a chance.


	18. Chapter 18

**Tom's PoV**

I sat across from Bella in my house, trying to teach her how to multiple and divide fractions, but it didn't take my incredible intelligence to realise she wasn't paying any attention.

I knew she had invited herself here again, because she thought that I liked her, but I knew I liked someone else. I'm pretty sure she knows as well but that doesn't stop her from holding my hand in public and sitting almost on top of me on the bus. I can't stand it, but I suppose I have to put up with it because of Aneisha dating the football freak. It's been about a week since our first 'date' and quite frankly, I'm getting a little bored of it all. Bella is so clingy and right now, I can't be bothered to deal with her.

I try not to think about the disappearance of Zoe, Bryan and the rest of the MI9 team. It is still fresh in the minds of the rest of the team as well, but I also know Dan is suffering the most. I can't blame him. Even though I never go out of the base on actual missions, I feel as though I understand how he's feeling. I know I would be in tears at the least, if someone I loved as much as Dan loves Zoe disappeared and I had no idea where to.

Not to say that Dan doesn't love Keri. But he and Zoe go way back and I know that the fact that he was so hurt by her hidden relationship with Bryan means that he still cares for her a lot.

"Tom!" Bella called. I snapped back into focus and found her staring at me oddly.

"What?" I asked.

"I asked about why you have to switch the bottom and top letter of the line," she replied. I frowned before realising what she meant.

"I don't actually know why," I admitted. "But that's just the rule. When dividing fractions, you have to the flip the numerator and denominator of the second fraction with turns it into a multiplication." She made a face at me. "The bottom and top letter of the line," I sighed. She nodded her understanding.

"This is making my head hurt." She complained.

 _'Listening to you talk make my head hurt,"_ I shot back in my mind.

"Why don't we take a break?" I suggested instead. "We could go for lunch?"

"I'm all for it!" She said as her face lit up. "Let's go."

 **Aneisha's PoV**

I stared back at Kevin in disgust.

"That's not even maths!" I snapped. He stared at his page where he had drawn a picture of him scoring the winning goal at a football match.

"It is!" he said. "Look," he pointed to scoreboard. "That says 23." He pointed at himself. "That's me."

"And?"

"It says that 23 plus me equals the school with the championship trophy!" he grinned seeming proud of himself. I closed my eyes and counted to ten, steadying my breathing.

It was only a week into our 'relationship' but I was already ready to strangle him. He was obnoxious and rude and made no effort to hide the fact that he was flirting with other girls even when I was there. But I had to keep acting like I liked him to make Tom jealous. I will admit, he didn't seem to reacting the way I hoped, but I know that jealousy is the best way to get the guy. And Kevin was the best guy to start with. But it wasn't exactly easy trying to pretend that I liked him.

"Why don't we take a break from maths and go for a walk?" I suggested. He shrugged.

"I don't want to argue but I think this maths session is going great!" he said as he pulled on his jacket. "But for my baby, I'll do anything."

I rolled my eyes and followed him out.


	19. Chapter 19

**Ok, so I'm on my summer hols right now and I'm going to Cornwall today, so I thought I would post this chapter an little early. However, I'm going on holiday in Canada for the three weeks about a week from now. Hopefully I can update occasionally when I have time to write, but if I don't this is why.**

 **Dan's PoV**

 _Wham_!

The sound of my fist making solid contact with my enemy echoed of the walls. I followed up with an uppercut and whirled into a flying kick. Black flipping in the air, I landed and delivered three sharp jabs to the solar plexus.

With a roar of adrenaline, I exploded upwards and ploughed the head of the boxing dummy clean off.

As I stood back and caught my breath, I heard clapped from behind me.

"Well done Dan," my PE teacher said approvingly. "You've obviously been listening in my classes." I forced a smile. Of course, he was not to praise for my fighting skills. That privilege lies with MI9. But pretending to be a good boxer gave me the opportunity to take out some of my anger and practise my skills in a non-suspicious way.

I took of the tape from my hands and went and retrieved my gym bag from the corner. I heard someone approach as I hunted through it to find my water bottle. Turning, I smiled when I saw Keri.

"That was pretty amazing," she said loudly. Then quieter, "It isn't hard to see what MI9 saw in your!" I winked at her and laughed.

"Thanks, I spent a few hours each night, training. I really want to get a good grade in this class." I lowered my voice. "And make sure I can easily take out Phantom when they show themselves again." She bit her lip.

"I hope they do soon," she replied, "And I hope that Zoe and Bryan are OK." I lowered my gaze to the floor.

"I hope they're both OK also," I told her. "And I'm sure they are." I closed my eyes and tried to believe it myself. It has been a week since we lost contact with the MI9 team at the royal wedding and I get more worried by the day. I know the blame lies directly on my shoulders, I should have gone back for them instead of running off with the PM and Keri. Maybe if I'd stayed behind, they would still be here.

"I know what you're thinking," Keri said beside me. "So, stop it. It wasn't your fault that they disappeared." I looked at her in despair.

"I was my fault!" I protested. "I should have gone back for them." She raised an eyebrow.

"And left me and PM alone?" she enquired. "Everyone knows that without you we would have been sitting ducks."

"Stop putting yourself down!" I said. "You are more than capable of looking after yourself and the PM!" she smiled at me.

"Dan," she whispered. "Things happen that we can't control. What matters is that there's still you, me, Aneisha and Tom to help get them back. Not to mention the whole of MI9. But we need someone to lead us and if you had been captured as well, where would we be?" I looked at her and saw tears in her eyes. "Where would I be?" I wrapped her in a hug and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you," I said softly. "And don't you worry about me." She looked up. "I'm not going anywhere."


	20. Chapter 20

**Another long one today as it another multiple of ten! 20 chapters! Yay!**

 **Zoe's PoV**

I woke up in a haze. Everything looked fuzzy and blurred. I tired to rub my eyes, when I realised that my hands were tied up. I was sitting on a chair, my hands chained by my sides. I blinked in a vain attempt to clear my eyes and managed to work out that I was in a dark room. I could barely see five metres in front of me.

"OW!"

I almost jumped out of my skin. The sound had come from behind me. Almost scared to looked, I twisted my neck and peered over my shoulder.

"Bryan," I sighed in relief as I saw the vague outline of his face. There was a brief flash of light as he smiled and the little light in the room reflected off his teeth.

"You're awake!" he replied. "It's going to be a lot easier to escape now I don't have to carry you out!" he turned away again and I heard him grunting with some kind of exertion.

"What going on?" I asked worriedly. He let out a small growl and I heard something splash onto the floor.

"I trying to get out of here," he said back. "If… I… Could… Just…" he trailed off and I heard another grunt.

"It's now use," he finally muttered, "I can't reach the knot." I realised what he had been trying to do.

"Where are we?" I queried. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" he said, the hint of a frown detectable in his voice. "I don't blame you, the knock out gas only wore off a few days ago for me." I nodded then realised what he had said.

"Days?" I blurted. "How long have we been here?"

"I think it's been about fifteen days," he replied. "I don't really know, but back when I was MI9's best agent, they trained me to know exactly what time it was." I scoffed.

"No they didn't." I snapped. "Tell me the truth, Bryan, not some lie made up to try and impress me." I heard him sigh.

"Fine," he grumbled. "They didn't train me to do that, but they did train me to judge time. And that combined with the fact that there are forty-five bowls of cold soup over there, and I've worked out that they send in a bowl every eighth hour, I think I'm pretty accurate." I nodded slowly, processing what he was saying. It made sense.

"How did we get here?" I asked next. I felt him shake his head.

"It was the day of the wedding." He said slowly, like talking to a baby. "We were assigned to protect the PM and his sister. Phantom showed and we thought that we could take them. We were so wrong."

 **Flashback. No one's PoV**

" _Let's be gently boys," Bryan whispered to his men. "We don't want to hurt them. They probably have no idea what they're doing." They nodded and approached silently._

 _This was the main reason it was such a shock when the stupidly dressed leader raised a clenched fist and three men turned into blur. Bryan was suddenly on his knees and he could hear screams from behind me. The blurs returned to their original positions, so quickly, Bryan wasn't sure he had seen them move._

 _There was a moan from behind him._

 _Daring to check his men, he was astounded to see all of his MI9 team lying on the ground surrounded in their own blood. Only one was left and he was armless and the light was fading from his eyes._

" _Agent Torson!" Bryan yelped and rushed to his side._

" _I wouldn't do that if I were you," the leader said. He turned and smiled brightly. "It's contagious." His men burst into laughter. His smile widened._

" _What are you?" Bryan demanded. "What do you do to my men?" The leader extended his hand._

" _The name's Mr Terry Hardson. Though, I prefer to be called the Ringmaster." He introduced. He gestured to his men "And this is Phantom. It's an honour to meet you Mr Tony." Bryan raised a surprised eyebrow._

" _How do you know me?" he shouted. "And what did you do to my men?" The Ringmaster shrugged and turned back to his men like nothing happened._

 _In a fit of fury, Bryan prepared to launch himself at this idiot who had slain his whole team._

" _I wouldn't do_ that _, either," The Ringmaster called over his shoulder in a bored voice. "The moment you lay a finger on me, I'll order my men to kill Zoe's team." Bryan faltered. They had Zoe?_

" _What do you want?" He said instead._

" _I only want to finish what my brother started." The Ringmaster replied. "You know of the Mastermind, I assume?"_

" _You're his brother?" Bryan spluttered. The Ringmaster shrugged again._

" _I suppose he never spoke of me?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips. "Oh well, it was probably for the best."_

" _What did you do to my men!" Bryan roared. The Ringmaster turned back and fire danced in his eyes._

" _Lower your tone!" he roared back. "Men, get rid of him and let's get on with this."_

" _You'll never get to the PM!" Bryan yelled defiantly. "MI9 will have him far away by now!"_

" _CURSE YOU MI9!" The Ringmaster screamed. Bryan was sure he had seen flames flickering along his fingers in his anger._

" _Take him back to base!" he ordered one of his men. "He knows things about MI9." Bryan raised his fists, not one to go down without a fight. But as quickly as his team had been taken out, he was unconscious._

"I don't remember anything else," Bryan confessed. "But I woke up a few days ago and I've been trying to untie these stupid ropes ever since." Zoe sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"Why don't I remember?" she moaned.

"I don't know," he replied. "But we need to focus on getting out of here." She nodded again and attempted to find the knot he was looking for.

She could feel her finger tips brushing the rope when suddenly there was light and a silhouette of figure in front of her.

"Don't bother trying." A voice said. It was so cold she shuddered and felt ice pierce her heart.

The Ringmaster had arrived.


	21. Chapter 21

**No one's PoV**

It was probably not a coincidence that Bella and Tom and Aneisha and Kevin were walking through the park at the same time.

Fate works in funny ways.

But, coincidence or not, fate still took its sweet time to works its magic.

"And she was totally lying," Bella was saying to Tom. "I am obviously the most pretty girl in our school. Right?" she looked at him pointedly. He mentally facepalmed.

'It's prettiest" he moaned. "Not most pretty." She looked at him weirdly.

"Is that you agreeing with me?" she asked. Tom rolled his eyes.

"Yes." He sighed. Naturally, he thought that Aneisha was the school's prettiest but it probably wasn't wise to tell Bella that.

They had been aimlessly strolling around the park for the last hour and quite frankly, he was getting very bored of listening to her rant about how some other girl thought they were prettier than her.

Things were similar with Aneisha. Kevin wouldn't shut up about how he was obviously going to score the winning goal of the championship football league. She was very quickly getting sick of his bragging.

"You know what?" she snapped finally. "I think I'm going to see if I can find a toilet." He looked very peeved off but shrugged.

"Whatever," he muttered. Rolling her eyes, Aneisha hurried to the nearest restroom and stepped inside quickly.

A little too quickly as it happened, for the moment she shut the door, Tom rounded the corner, having pulled the same stunt with Bella. She was off sulking somewhere, but he couldn't care less; far to happy to be rid of her endless stupidity to be concerned about her feelings.

Also entering the toilets, Tom relieved himself before going back outside, wondering what he planned to do now that he had dumped Bella.

Here was when fate decided to play its card, for Aneisha, also exiting the toilets crashed into him. They fell in a heap on the floor.

"Tom?" Aneisha asked. "What are you doing here?" He shrugged and helped her to her feet.

"I was supposedly on a date with Bella, but I got bored of her and left." He answered truthfully. Aneisha laughed.

"I can say the exact same about me and Kevin!" she smiled. Tom grinned, before realising the awkwardness of the situation.

"Look," he started breaking the silence. "I owe you an apology." She looked surprised but didn't stop him.

"After the kiss," he paused looking for a reaction. He was not rewarded with one. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about it. And I thought you did too." He stopped and she slowly nodded.

"I did." She admitted. "But if this is true why didn't you? Why did you go off with Bella?" Tom shook his head.

"I didn't. She sent me a note saying that she wanted to talk to me and had signed it 'A'. I thought it was from you, so I waited until you made your move."

"Which was never coming." She realised. "Is that why you went with her?" Tom shook his head again.

"Like I said, I didn't realise that the not was from her, so it was a complete shock." Tom rubbed the back of his neck. "I was all ready to reject her, but she wouldn't leave me alone until I said yes, and at the time…"

"Frank called us back to HQ," she finished in understanding.

"Yeah. But my biggest mistake was doubting how much she like me. I was going for a hug when you saw us." Tom said. "But, she kissed me instead." he dropped his head. Aneisha kicked the ground.

"I'm so sorry, I should have let you explain yourself, instead of storming off like that." She muttered. Looking at Tom, she smiled slightly.

"It was a misunderstanding on both of our parts," he replied. "I assume that's why you got with Kevin." She looked embarrassed.

"The biggest mistake in my life," she laughed. "I hope I can forget it easily."

"Friends again?" Tom asked extending his hand. Aneisha met it.

"Always."


	22. Chapter 22

**Ok, so this update is early because I'm about to go on a three week holiday to Canada and most of that will be camping the middle of nowhere.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own M.I. High, only the story.**

 **Dan's PoV**

I sat in HQ in utter despair. It had been weeks since we'd lost the team ad I couldn't think what else to do.

I spent most of my time down there now. It was kina like my safe place. Somewhere where I can be alone. Somewhere to reflect and just think. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

I heard the lift doors opening and cracked open my eyes.

"I thought I would find you down here Dan," Frank said sitting down beside me. "I have news." I perked up and listened intently.

"What sort of news is it?" I queried eagerly, my thoughts turning instantly to Zoe.

"Difficult." Frank replied evenly. "We seem to have received a ransom message from Phantom." He paused and looked at me, frowning.

"What are the terms?" I asked angrily.

"Well," Frank started. "It doesn't sound good, Dan. They are demanding we had over the PM in exchange for his sister." I sighed.

"Nothing about Zoe?" I muttered hopefully. Frank clicked his fingers in front of my face.

"Focus, Dan!" he snapped. "Don't you get it? Phantom are trying to get someone in exchange for someone else that they don't have!" Realisation dawned on me.

"They're going to kidnap the PM's sister!" I cried and leapt to my feet.

 **No one's PoV: 25 minutes earlier.**

Claire sat in her office and glared at her computer. It was no use. No matter how many times she asked, her brother just refused to tell her why she was shut away.

She tried one last time.

 _'David,_

 _As your sister, I wish to know why you insist on locking me in my house. I have a right as one of your people to know who is threating my safety so drastically that I cannot step outside._

 _Kind regards,_

 _Claire.'_

Pressing send, Claire buried her head in her hands. It was truly hopeless. Her brother just wouldn't tell her anything.

She sighed and got her feet, pulling on a jumper and walked over to her office door. Trying to open it, she was suddenly furious to find that it was locked.

"Open the damn door!" she bellowed. "How dare you lock me in here?" Pounding on the door, she got even angrier when it didn't open.

Through all her anger and all the noise she was making because of it, she failed to hear the commotion that was going on, on the other side of the door. She missed the sounds of pain and screams of agony. She was missing the deaths of her whole assigned security team.

Chief Agent Phillip's PoV

It didn't look good. Originally, there had only been two people assigned to guard the Mistress' office. Me, and the boy, Ben. But the moment the rugged looking men had shown up, without escort, the alarm bells inside of my head had started ringing.

Playing it cool, I had gestured for Ben to call the rest of the armed guard and approached the men carefully.

"Can I help you?" I had asked. One of them had stepped forward and extended his hand. Mistaking it for a handshake, I raised mine to meet it.

The moment I had grasped his fingers, I was on the floor, the man having flipped me from my fee so quickly, I hadn't even processed it. Gasping, I had scrambled to my feet and fumbled for my gun, but this other man had been quicker and knocked it to the floor before punching me in the face and throwing me into the wall.

I had felt my bones snap like twigs and fell in a crumpled heap of pain, struggling to breathe.

I saw Ben instantly lock the Mistress' door and whip out his gun. He was so young, but these men struck him down without a second thought. He looked at me as he died. I only saw fear and confusion in his innocent eyes.

The rest of the squad arrived as I drifted on the brink of unconsciousness. I heard them scream. I heard them cry.

I heard them _die._

The last thing I registered my own gun pointing at my face, and the Mistress being frogmarched to her doom.

I had failed her.

There was a loud bang and I don't know the rest.

 **That's it for now, Guys. I'm going to keep writing but when you're in the middle of nowhere, I doubt there is any connection to upload. But the moment I get back I'll try and update extra fast so it is somewhat worth the wait.**

 **Bye for now :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**Ok, I'm back and ready to start uploading again! I'm going to post two chapters today and then return to my normal schedule.**

 **No one's PoV**

"What happened, Frank?" Keri asked as she, Tom and Aneisha hurried into HQ. Frank had sent Dan ahead to assume extra protection for the PM's sister.

But he feared they were already too late.

"We've received a ransom demand from Phantom," he explained. "They want to exchange the PM for his sister."

"They have her?" Tom spluttered. "How? When?"

"They don't have her yet-" Frank started but was interrupted by their pencils buzzing.

"I have bad news," Dan said on the other side. "They've taken her. You guys better get over here. Now."

Dan looked in horror at the scene. There must have been at least twenty dead men in front of him. It was plain horrific. He carefully picked his way around the bodies to get to Claire's office. The door was intact, and Dan suddenly saw what had happened in his mind's eye.

Claire had been in her office. She had been alone, with two or three men outside guarding her. Phantom had showed up. As stated in standard protocol, one of the bodyguards had locked her door and called the other member of the protection squad. A fight had started and Phantom had somehow killed everyone, unlocked the door and taken Claire.

Dan looked up as his own team arrived. They took in the scene grimly. Keri rushed to his side.

"Are you OK?" she asked. "What happened?" He smiled.

"I'm fine." He reassured her. "I was too late to stop it happen, only got here a few minutes ago." He quickly outlined what he thought had happed to Frank.

"That sounds about right," he agreed. "But I don't understand. How on earth did they kill all these men? There must have been thousands of them in order to take out twenty of the best trained ex-SAS bodyguards who would have fought to the last blood to protect their principle. It makes no sense." He shook his head and stepped away to call Stella.

Aneisha was examining one of the bodies.

"Look at this guy." She whispered pointing to his ID badge. "Ben Simons. He was only 22 years old." She wiped a tear from her eye.

"Is it just me or are they all killed in the same way?" Keri pointed out slowly as Tom went to comfort Aneisha. Dan joined her.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Keri bit her lip.

"Well, they all have a bullet whole in the head and chest, three perfectly horizontal slits on their throats and a ruptured stomach." Dan looked around and realised that she was right.

"Except this one," Tom said. He gestured to a body next to him. "Just one bullet in the head and judging by the shape of his chest, a lot of broken bones." Dan's throat tightened.

"Chief Agent Phillip," he said, his voice catching. "He was my mentor when I first joined MI9. He was like a father to me." He trailed of and blinked furiously to stop the tears from falling.

"Let's get out of here." Keri said, helping him to his feet.

"Phantom have taken too much from me," Dan shouted angrily. "When I find them, there won't be a single one left to tell the tale."

"Get in line, Mate." Tom agreed.

"They'd better be ready." Keri said. "Because when we find them-"

"They don't stand a chance." Aneisha finished.


	24. Chapter 24

**No one's PoV**

"I demand you let me go!" Claire shouted as she was forced into a chair. "What is going on?" She glared up at her captors and noted in disgust their dirty clothes and bare feet.

"The Ringmaster will explain," one told her. "Phantom will destroy this world" Claire rolled her eyes.

"Whatever this Ringmaster want with me, he'd better get ready to live in a jail cell for the rest of his life because there is no way my brother will just let me be kidnapped!"

She was treated to no answer as the men left the room. Struggling in vain to release herself, Claire realised that there was no hope and submitted to sitting there in a strop.

"He'll have me out of here soon," she told herself. "He'd never leave me."

"With all due respect, Sir, we have to leave her," Frank said.

"NO!" The PM roared angrily. "We're getting her out!

"How?" Frank asked. "We have no idea where they are and there must be thousands of them!"

"I don't care how we do it!" The PM snapped. "Agree to the exchange if you have to!"

"Sir," Frank cried horrified. "We can't possibly give in to their demands!"

"If I'm right," The PM said straightening his suit, "that is the only way. I order you to get my sister out from there. And I want it done within 24 hours."

"Frank," Stella said. "Orders are orders." Frank turned on her.

"What choice do we have?" he demanded. "Agreeing to this swap is the worst decision we can make!"

Standing quietly in the corner along with the rest of the team, Dan was racking his brains for an idea. Frank was obviously right, they couldn't give into this ransom demand. Not only would it leave the country temporarily without leadership, it would also put Claire in even more danger, as it would send the wrong message to major criminals around the globe.

"What you thinking then?" Keri whispered beside him. "I know you have a plan."

"Yeah," Tom agreed. "You have that face." Dan shook his head.

"I'm still in the planning faze yet," he replied. "But 24 hours is nowhere near enough time to prepare."

"Whatever you're thinking," Aneisha said. "It's probably better than what they are." Dan nodded.

"Well," he started and told them his plan. The reactions were varied.

"That won't work, surely," Keri said doubtfully.

"Even if it does that's too risky," Aneisha agreed. Dan looked hopefully at Tom. The other boy was thinking thoughtfully.

"I think it has potential," he said slowly. "But we definitely need more time." Dan nodded.

"My problem," he admitted. "That's the best thing I can think of but we don't have the time."

"Plus," Aneisha added. "Frank is not going to like this." Tom shrugged.

"What Frank doesn't know won't hurt him," he grinned. Dan punched him playfully.

"Seriously though guys," he said quietly. "You don't have to do this with me. It's dangerous and-"

"I don't know who made you in charge, Buddy," Tom interrupted. "But we're a team. It's all or nothing." The girls nodded.

"We're doing this as a team or not at all," Aneisha emphasized.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Keri grinned.

"Let's head back to base and think this through a little bit more." Dan suggested. "That way we can also kit up."

"Let's do this."


	25. Chapter 25

**Sorry for the late update, but I'm trying to think about where I want to take this story and I'm really not sure. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be happy to talk over PMs of reviews.**

 **No one's PoV**

Back at base, Dan was pacing. Beside him Tom was drumming fingers in a rhythmic beat. Aneisha was biting her lip thoughtfully and Keri was gently banging her head against a pillar.

"This is hopeless," Tom eventually sighed.

"What are we doing anyway?" Keri asked. Rolling his eyes, Dan stepped over to one of the computers.

"We're trying to work out a way to buy more time." He explained. "But it _is_ hopeless. We no nothing about Phantom besides the fact that there must be tons of them." He threw his hands in the air. "And there's only four of us."

"We need more information," Aneisha agreed. "But how?" The team exchanged a look of despair.

"What do we do?" Keri moaned. A glitching on the screens interrupted any reply.

"Tom?" Dan glanced up nervously as the lights flickered and sparks flashed over their heads. The dark-haired boy sat back in his chair and stared tapping furiously at his keyboard.

"I…I don't know!" he stuttered. "I think someone's trying to hack us!" The screens started flashing red and a loud alarm sounded around the base.

"Can you do something about it?" Keri asked. Tom shook his head.

"It's shutting me out." He said angrily. "I don't know-"

"Hello MI9." The team spun around and gaped as a figure took shape on the screen.

"Who is that?" Aneisha muttered.

"I am The Ringmaster," the figure revealed almost in answer. "And I'm getting impatient."

"What's he talking about?" Dan murmured.

"As you know," The Ringmaster continued, "we are in possession of a certain someone close to the 'fearless' leader of this dumb country. And I seem to recall that we gave you an offer. Her for him. But like I said, I'm getting impatient. So, I'm giving you another deal. Three hours."

The team exchanged a worried look.

"If the Prime Minister is not delivered the Hyde Park station in three hours, she'll be taking a trip." The Ringmaster laughed sinisterly. "To the bottom of the Thames." The screen faded to black.

"This is not good."

"This is not good!" Frank hissed to Stella. The PM was pacing the room angrily.

"What are we waiting for?" He demanded. "We need to get to Hyde Park at once!" Stella stepped forward.

"Sir, this is a bad idea." She pointed out. "Don't you understand the severe consequences of giving yourself over to Phantom." The PM banged his fist on his desk.

"Don't you understand the consequences of leaving my sister to die!" he thundered. "I will do anything to get her back. And as I said before, I order you to do something about it!"

"What choice do we have?" Frank asked Stella. She shook her head.

"We don't a have a choice." She ran a hand through her hair. "But we can set a trap."

"Right," Frank agreed. "I already have a plan."

"Good." Stella nodded. She looked around. "Wait, where's Keri, Tom, Aneisha and Dan?"

Frank sighed. "I might have an idea." He muttered shaking his head.


	26. Chapter 26

**This is another early update because** **I'm going to Dublin at 4:30 on Friday on a sports tour.**

 **Because I kept forgetting for the last tons of chapters:**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own M.I. High or the characters just the plot of this story.**

 **No one's PoV**

"We only have three hours now?" Dan snarled angrily. "Tom!" the dark-haired boy looked at him sharply.

"Yeah?" he asked nervously, keying the air as if there was an invisible keyboard there.

"How much longer until it is ready?" Tom sighed in irritation.

"I don't know, Dan," he said, his patience for Dan's impatience ringing clear in his voice. "This is a complicated machine and we don't have the time to mess up. I'm going as fast as I can but that's still quite slow. Not to mention the fact that the original picture wasn't too good quality so I'm working with practically nothing here!" Dan banged his fist on the table in frustration.

"Anything else I should know?" he asked innocently.

"Well actually," Tom continued. "This process isn't sure to work. We should prepare a back up plan just in case."

"I know we should." Dan said. "So, if you have any ideas, I'm all ears." Tom shrugged.

"I'm not really the planner, Dan." He grinned. "I sit in here eating biscuits. You know that."

"Just because I do, it doesn't mean that I have to like it." Dan replied. "Keep working on this plan at the moment. Like you said, we can't afford to make any mistakes. Time is our main enemy now." Tom nodded his agreement before turning back to his computer.

"Aneisha, Keri," he turned abruptly to the girls who were searching the database for any earlier signs of Phantom before now. "While Tom's working on this I think that we should go and scout out the park. Hopefully, Phantom will be there already in case we show up to rig anything. This plan will work more efficiently if we know what to except. Not to mention it's always nice to know who we're up against."

"That's a good idea," Tom called from his desk.

"Ok, then," Anisha said. "We'd better hurry up. Before it's too late."

"Are you seriously telling me you have on idea where your team have gone?" Stella snapped. Frank shrugged helplessly.

"I don't understand how they got out." He cried, flinging his hands up in the air. "But if they did, no doubt they'll be back at the base. I'll go back and get them." The PM whirled and gave them a glare.

"You are not going anywhere!" he shouted. "We need to get out my sister from Phantom!" Frank sighed in frustration.

"Sir, please!" he said. "We don't have that option. And even if we were to carry out this operation, we would need my team anyway." The PM sighed angrily.

"Fine!" he yelled. Then his face softened and turned sad. "But please. Make it quick. The mere thought of my sister with an enemy organisation is just..." he trailed off.

"Don't worry, Sir." Stella said. "We're doing our best. But whoever these people are, they are very good. We have no idea who they are unless they want us to." She shook her head.

"I'll be right back." Frank said quickly exiting the room before the PM could stop him.


	27. Chapter 27

**And I'm back! Just got my computer fixed and super pumped because I have so much that I have to do, this being only one thing. Anyway, I did a little bit of writing while I was out of action so I should be back to normal updates this Saturday.**

 **No one's PoV**

Meanwhile, Aneisha, Keri and Dan were scouting out he park. They were in disguise and as this was Aneisha's area of expertise, they looked completely unrecognisable.

"Ok, I'm in position," Dan said into his pencil communicator. "What about you girls?"

"In position." Came Keri's reply.

"In position." Aneisha agreed. Dan looked around his section of park, searching for any sign of Phantom. But, he didn't see anyone. Especially not anyone who could take down so many of MI9s best agents. In fact, the park was fairly empty except a few homeless looking tramps and some people taking their dogs for a walk.

"I don't see them," he said in despair. "Anyone else?"

"I thought that the rate of homeless people was up this month," Aneisha was saying. Dan heard the opening of a spy pod.

"It is." Keri answered. "I just looked it up. Why?"

"I'm counting at least six tramps within my sight." Aneisha whispered. "And I just asked a woman and she said they're everywhere."

"That's weird." Dan frowned. He walked over to man and little girl. They looked up and saw an old man with a grey beard, chunky glasses and a walking stick, dressed in a brown suit with a slight hunch.

"Top of the morning to you, Sir." He said in his best posh English accent. "I was wondering whether there is always this many homeless in this park. I just moved here with my wife and I was scouting out a few spots to take her for our 45th anniversary." When the man didn't answer him, he sighed on the inside and continued, hoping his irritating persistence would annoy the man into talking.

"We got married pretty early, I was 28 and she was 21. Her parents told me that I was too told for her but when you're in love it doesn't really matter. I still remember the look on their faces when I proposed and she actually said yes. One of the happiest moments of my life. I also remember the way she looked on the day of the wedding. Ridiculously beautiful. The style of the wedding was the colours of autumn leaves, y'know; the reds and burgundy. Anway-"

"What did you want again?" The man snapped. Dan took a deep breath in relief.

"I was wondering whether there are usually this many tramps around." The man looked around.

"I don't really come here much, but I'm pretty sure that, no." he replied.

"Well thanks a ton for that information, old chap," Dan said cheerily. "Cheerio!" He hurried away quickly.

"Ok," he said into his pencil the moment he was out of earshot. "Looks like that there aren't not this many tramps around."

"Got the same intel." Keri agreed. "No one has seen this many homeless people before."

"Something is going on here," Aneisha said. "We just can't see it."

"What are we missing?" Dan asked. "Because someone has definitely pulled the wool over our eyes."

"What do we do?" Keri asked. "What the heck do we do?"


	28. Chapter 28

**No one's PoV**

 _1600 HOURS._

"Are we sure about this?" Aneisha asked. Dan sighed.

"We don't have a choice." He replied. "This is our only chance to rescue the PM's sister, take down Phantom and rescue Zoe and Bryan."

"He's right." Keri agreed. "We have to do this."

"I know." Aneisha said. "But it feels wrong."

"I know." Dan repeated. "It definitely feels wrong."

1602 HOURS

"Are you ready for this… Sir?" Frank added after some thought.

"I'll do anything to get Claire back." The man beside him replied. "Even give myself over to the enemy. It is my job and my duty."

"You're doing good." Frank told him although he looked far from happy. In fact, he looked quite the opposite.

"Are you ok, Frank?" Stella asked as she approached. "You look…" she trailed off.

"I look what?" Frank snapped. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, for lack of a better word," Stella told him. "You look constipated." Frank turned bright red.

"That didn't help, Frank." One of the Prime Minister's bodyguards said. Frank hid his face.

"Why are you here again?" he asked Stella.

"I'm just going to talk to… our Prime minister." She looked unhappy as well.

"I don't think we have that much time." Frank said doubtfully. "The exchange is meant to happen in a few minutes."

"Fine." Stella said. "But I don't like this."

"You think I do?" Frank snapped. "This is a stupid idea."

 _1605 HOURS_

"Get the woman," the Ringmaster ordered some of his men. "We have somewhere to be." Two of his men saluted and strode off.

"I trust that the park was empty?" the Ringmaster asked turning to three or four men standing in front of him.

"What do you mean there was an old man, a frozen yogurt seller and a rubbish performing man asking about the number of tramps around the park?" he snapped. "Who were they?" his men shrugged. The Ringmaster fumed.

MI9, for he knew it much have been them, were getting dangerously close to figuring out who they were. And that was not acceptable.

"We cannot jeopardize our operation by pursuing them right now." He said to himself. "But as soon as the Prime minister is in our grasp, I will destroy them."

 _1610 HOURS_

It was a cold December day and the sun had already begun its descend into night. Strong torched beamed out light, illuminating up to 50 metres in front of the people holding them.

The exchange was all set to take place.

On one side of the path that stretched throughout the park, stood MI9.

On the other, a tape recorder and Claire. The park was otherwise empty.

"This is getting worse by the minute." Stella muttered.

"Where are they?" Dan growled.

"It would appear that they are much more intelligent than we originally predicted." Tom's voice said in Dan's earpiece.

"No kidding, Smart Guy." Dan replied.

"Will the plan still work like this?" Keri asked. Dan shook his head.

"Hopefully."

"Welcome MI9!" Boomed the clear tones of the Ringmaster's voice boomed out from the tape recorder. "As you can see, I have my hostage and I also have people all ready to shoot her if you try anything." A sound of harsh laughed filled the air making everyone shiver.

"Here's what is going to happen," the Ringmaster continued. "We will send our hostage down the path to you and you will do the same. Like I said before, we have all sorts of weapons pointed at her head. Don't try anything."

"Here goes nothing." Dan said as the exchange began. Their 'hostage' as Phantom was calling him, was walking slowly, with a calm look on his face. His eyes however showed differently. A tale of terror. A story of horror. And it was making Dan's stomach churn.

Claire looked about the same, maybe even more scared. When they reached the middle, they both stopped and looked at each other. Claire seemed angry.

"What are you doing?" she said, Dan reading her lips easily despite being so far away.

"Keep walking!" the Ringmaster shouted from the tape recorder. Dan leaned over to Keri, who was standing next to him with a heartbroken look on his face.

"He's here," he whispered. "This isn't a pre-recorded message."

"Or maybe it is and he just predicted what was going to happen." Keri replied. Before he could reply, Claire was standing in front of them. Immediately, bodyguards surrounded her, protecting her from any gunfire and hurried her into a car that was waiting for them.

"What about my brother?" she demanded.

"Just get into the car!" Stella ordered. "We'll explain later." Claire looked indignant, but stepped into the waiting SUV. But before they drove off, she looked out of the window jut in time to see her brother disappear into thin air.

"Claire?" she looked around at the voice, her eyes widening. "Are you ok?"

"David?"


	29. Chapter 29

_No one's PoV_

 _'How the heck did I end up here?'_ Tom wondered to himself as he was led through the maze that was the base of Phantom.

In truth, that was rhetorical question. His photographic memory told him exactly what had happened.

 _Tom looked up as Dan, Keri and Aneisha re-entered the base. They looked in despair. The same way Tom felt._

" _I take it, you had no luck in scouting out Phantom." He asked as everyone sat down._

" _I don't understand this." Dan said. "What little we have on these people suggests that they are an organised team of killers. But if that's the case then why are they making the mistake of not being in the park to make sure we don't wire anything?"_

" _I dunno," Tom shrugged. "So, there was nothing there at all?"_

" _Nothing," Keri told him. "It was a complete waste of time."_

" _I'm still worried about all those tramps," Aneisha said. Tom turned to look at her._

" _What do you mean?" He asked._

" _The only thing we saw was a ton of tramps." Keri explained. "We think we're missing something, but we don't know what." Tom frowned._

" _I thought that the number of homeless people was down this month." He said. "That_ _is_ _weird."_

" _How did you do?" Dan asked him. "Did you finish the mask?" Tom looked down at his handiwork. The mask mould was still hot from its earlier work. He held up his masterpiece._

" _I don't believe it," Dan gasped._

" _That's incredible." Keri agreed._

" _I'm stunned," Aneisha gaped._

 _For, in his hand, Tom held a perfect replica of the Prime Minister's head. If you didn't know it was a mask, it would probably look like he was actually holding the PM's head._

 _Which, coincidentally, was exactly what Frank though when he walked through the lift doors._

" _What the heck?" he cried in alarm. "Why do you have the PM's head!" Tom quickly dropped the mask and it flopped to the floor with a slap of the plastic._

" _Calm down, Frank," Aneisha soothed. "It's a mask."_

" _It's fitted with a voice modulator as well." Tom butted in._

" _It's part of our plan." Dan added. "Tom's going to dress as the PM with a tracker on him."_

" _Exactly," Tom nodded. "Wait. WHAT?"_

" _I'm not talking to you at the minute, Tom," Dan replied. "Anyway, when Phantom take Tom to their lair, we'll be right behind him, be able to rescue him, take down Phantom and even find Zoe, Bryan and their teams."_

" _Excuse me!" Tom blurted. "Why do I have to be the PM? I thought it was going to be you!" Dan looked at him in exasperation._

" _It has to be you," he said. "Because if you're not at the exchange it won't look weird. Neither Keri or Aneisha can do it because, if you haven't noticed, they are girls. You're the only one." His face and tone softened. "Don't worry about this, Buddy. I have the utmost trust in you to full this mission's needs." He smiled warmly._

" _That plan is the worst plan I have ever heard." Frank snapped. "Tom could very well get hurt and/or killed. Not to mention, it also puts the PM's sister in massive danger. It will give the impression that we will agree to anything if they have her. There is no way whatsoever, that we are conduction this operation."_

" _Frank, listen," Aneisha said. "What choice do we have?"_

So, here he was. Tied in a chair with a gag in his mouth and his death imminent. He just had to pray that the tracker, injected into his neck would bring his team to his rescue.


	30. Chapter 30

**3 Weeks Ago**

 **Zoe's PoV**

"Who are you?" I demanded. "What do you want with us?"

"To be honest, I wanted to kill you all, but I have a feeling you could be useful." The silhouette explained. "I'm the Ringmaster." The Ringmaster? That was the man that Bryan had just told me about. The one who had killed so many people. The Mastermind's brother?

"Give it up," Bryan shouted. "MI9 will hunt you down and destroy you all." The Ringmaster laughed.

"Maybe," he agreed. "But before they do I want to pick through your brain and find out everything that I might want to know about them." My eyes widened. If Bryan or I ever opened up about such things, MI9 was finished and the world would be in constant danger.

"And how are you going to go about that?" Bryan demanded. "We are both highly trained agents. We will never give anything up to you!" He was right. No matter how much pain they put us thought there was no way whatsoever that we would say anything. There was too much at risk.

"I'm afraid, you won't have much choice." The Ringmaster replied. "But it certainly will be fun to watch you squirm in pain while you try!" he cackled evilly. "Anyway, Zoe. You're up first."

 _Everything went black._

The next thing I knew, I was in some sort of operation room, strapped to a vertical operating table. It was dimly lit around me, but about 20 feet away was illuminated by dozens of computer screens. I could see at least ten people working around these computers and at the far end of the room, I could make out the blurry figure of who I assumed was the Ringmaster.

"What's going on?" I asked nervously. The Ringmaster stepped forward.

"On your head are fifty-two sensors." He explained, holding up a device. "When I press this button, these sensors will send microwaves into your skull and whatever is in there will be projected onto this screen. There is no way to fully resist it." He laughed again.

"I think you'll be surprised!" I yelled defiantly. "Both me and Bryan have been trained in anti-torture techniques!"

"We'll see," the Ringmaster whispered, a deadly glint in his eye. He pressed the button and I cleared my mind.

The next thing I knew.

 _Pain_.

 **Present day – still Zoe's PoV**

My head throbbed. My vision was blurred. White, hot pain flashed behind my eyes. Everything hurt.

There was a sound. I weakly looked up. They were bringing Bryan back in. He looked the same as I assumed I did. His eyes were bloodshot. His head drooped into his chest. They threw him to the floor beside me. He didn't protest. He just slumped in a heap of exhaustion.

It's been three weeks since they first started hooking us up to the mental machine. It turns out that the more you try and resist, the more pain it puts you through. But there was no way that we could reveal anything, no matter what they did to us. But it hurt. A lot.

"How are you?" I said quietly. "Did they get anything?"

"No," Bryan replied quickly. I was also familiar with the body shaking pain that came with speaking so soon after the procedure. He moaned quietly, clutching his head in his agony.

They took one of us every day. Sometimes it was alternate for a few weeks, other times it was completely random and I could spend three days straight being grilled. The same went for Bryan.

The Ringmaster had told me that the more tired out that we were the more likely we were to talk. And the more pain he put us through, the harder it was to resist. We all knew that eventually, we would talk. I just hope that we get rescued before then.

The throbbing in my head continued. It intensified. The pain pounded around my skull.

I slipped into unconsciousness.

"Zoe!" I snapped awake. Bryan was crouching beside me. It was only then that I realised he had a black eye, swollen shut.

"What happened to you?" I breathed. He waved his hand dismissively.

"That doesn't matter right now," he told me. "We need to get out of here. Now!" he gestured behind me at the open door. My eyes widened.

"How?" I gasped. Bryan smiled.

"I tricked the guards into thinking that I couldn't walk and when they dragged me back in here, I took their key." He explained proudly. "I think it's about 10 PM." I stood up groggily.

"Well done," I said. "Let's go." He helped to walk over to the door.

"Hey," he asked in concern. "Are you ok? You seem weaker than usual."

"I don't know," I muttered. "My head is hurting more than it does normally." He looked at me carefully.

"I hate to do this to you, but we really need to go," He wrapped an arm around my waist and supported me as I limped over to the door.

"Thanks," I told him. When we reached the door, Bryan looked both ways down the corridor to check for any sign of Phantom before leading her the opposite way from the room where the mental machine was.

"Why is it so empty?" I asked after a minute of hobbling. "Where is everyone?" Bryan shrugged.

"I have no idea." He replied. "But let's take the opportunity." I shrugged back and we continued.

"HEY!" we both jumped. "HEY! LET ME OUT OF HERE!" Bryan and I shared a look.

"What was that?" I asked. Bryan looked clueless.

"I think it came from in there," he said gesturing to a room we had just passed.

"I KNOW THAT ONE OF YOU THUGS IS OUT THERE!" the voice screamed. " I DEMAND THAT YOU LET ME OUT!" I frowned.

"That sounds like the PM," Bryan said echoing my thoughts exactly.

"Let's go see what's going on," I suggested working my way back to the room. The door was surprisingly unlocked.

Bryan and I exchanged another look before we both burst in. Tied to a chair was, to confirm our suspicions, was the PM.

"Sir!" Bryan blurted, "Are you ok?" The PM looked up and a huge smile appeared on his face. Bryan quickly untied him and he wrapped us in a massive hug.

"I can't believe this," he exclaimed. "I've been so worried!"

"Why?" I asked. "I didn't even know you cared so much."

He looked confused. "Oh right," he said and took off his… face?

"What the heck?" Bryan cried. My eyes widened in joy.

"Tom!"


	31. Chapter 31

**Aneisha's PoV**

"Is the tracker working?" I demanded. Dan looked up at me for a second before turning back to the computer.

"Believe me," he said. "I'm just as eager to find him as well." My anger wilted a little.

"Sorry," I told him. "I'm just so worried about him." Dan looked at me again.

"Me too," He raised an eyebrow. "But I'm not Mrs Snappy-Pants." I glared at him.

"Excuse me!" I snapped. He grinned.

"Seriously though," he continued. "What's going on between you?" I stepped back.

"What do you mean?" I stuttered. "What are you talking about, there's nothing going on between us…" He raised his eyebrow again.

"Really?" he asked. "Is that what your private chat about before he left?" I tilted my head.

"Excuse me?" I repeated. Dan sighed and got up.

"You and I may not have met in the most normal of ways but you know that we're friends, right?" I smiled at him.

"I know, Dan," I said. "And I really appreciate it. But, if I'm being honest, I'm not sure what's happening between us." I looked down at the floor.

"After the SKAPULA mission, we had an awkward moment in the van." Dan gestured for me to sit.

"What happened?" he asked in concern. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"He was beating himself up because he didn't see them through the security cameras. Then, I kind of, sort of, may have kissed him." This time Dan raised both of his eyebrows.

"Then?" he pressed. "What happened next?"

"Nothing for a long time," I confessed. "But then…" I trailed off.

"Tom asked Bella out, right?" he asked. I shrugged.

"That's what I thought, but apparently it was actually the other way around." I buried my face in my hands. "So out of pure jealousy, I asked Kevin out." Dan nodded approvingly.

"That massive dude who's the school pro footballer?" I nodded sadly.

"Worst relationship of my life," I muttered. He laughed.

"Well, I assume you made up after that?" I shrugged.

"We did the whole 'Our friendship is the most important thing to me' talk, but,"

"You wanted more than just friendship." He finished. "What about him?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "I wanted to ask him before he left, but I couldn't bring myself to."

"You should talk to him _when_ he gets back." He said, putting extra emphasis on the when. I felt even more reassured to hear his complete belief in the operation.

"I will," I promised him. "But what if he doesn't feel the same way?" Dan shrugged.

"You won't know until you ask." He replied. "But either way, you will always feel better after you find out."

"Thanks a lot, Dan," I said. "This had really helped me." He smiled.

"You're welcome, Niesh." He told me. "And, if he doesn't feel the same way, don't stress over it. I know that there are plenty of guys willing to date you." I smiled back.

"Is that so?"

"Yup. And, even if there aren't, you don't need a boy to be happy." He shrugged. "And you definitely shouldn't let one change who you are." I looked at him weirdly.

"Hang on," I said. "That's way too deep for a normal teenage boy." He laughed.

"Meaning?"

"Since when did you give so much good advice?" I knocked lightly on his head. "Have you been possessed by a girl?"

"Kind of, actually," He said, jokingly batting away my hand. "Technically, as her boyfriend, I am the possession of Keri."

"Good one." I laughed. "But that doesn't explain how you suddenly are so good at this."

"Well," he looked embarrassed. "We always have a Friday movie night and recently we've been watching a lot of chick flicks. I guess I benefited more than I thought." He shook his head in wonder.

"I guess so," I agreed. "Thanks again, Dan."

"You're-" he cut off suddenly.

"What is it?"

"It's Tom." He whispered breathlessly. "He's stopped moving. And it isn't far from here!" My eyes widened.

"We've found him." I breathed.


	32. Chapter 32

**No one's PoV**

"This is it," Dan said looking up from his spy pod. "Frank? Are the rest of the MI9 team in position?"

"Affirmative," Frank replied. "But be careful in there." Dan closed his spy pod.

"This is it." He repeated. Aneisha and Keri stood beside him, equally nervous, excited and pumped to the brim with adrenaline. "Tom's tracker says that he is in here. But let's be careful. The last thing we need to attract unnecessary attention." The girls nodded.

"This is really it?" Keri asked, looking up in disgust at the old people's home. Dan shrugged.

"Apparently so," he told her. Taking a deep breath, he walked casually towards the building. "Come on." He forced a smile onto his face. When they reached the door, they were greeted by an angry looking woman.

"You can't be here," she shouted. "Leave." Without another word, she slammed it in their faces. Dan exchanged a glace with the girls.

"I might need glasses, because I did not see that coming," he joked, trying to lighten the mood. The pain in their expressions showed him all to clearly how much of a blow this was. When planning this, they hadn't to fall over the first hurdle of simply getting into the building.

"What do we do now?" Keri asked. "How do rescue Tom if we can't get in?"

"We'll think of something." He promised her. Then quitter and to himself. "We have to."

"Tom!" I can't believe that you're here!" Zoe cried. Bryan looked a little less happy, but interested all the same.

"I can't believe I'm here either," Tom admitted.

"Right," Bryan said. "What are you doing here?" Tom looked at him sharply.

"I'm here to rescue you," he retorted. Bryan raised a mocking eyebrow.

"MI9 have the most capable operatives in their hands and they decided to send you?" he scoffed. "That makes total sense." Tom puffed out his chest indignantly.

"It does!" he replied. This time Bryan actually let out a laugh.

"No," he sniggered. "It doesn't."

Zoe looked from Tom to Bryan then back to Tom, then back to Bryan, Tom, Bryan, Tom. Her head was spinning, she was still weak but she knew that she had to do something before this got out of hand and they were found out.

"Boys!" she snapped. "Cut it out!" They glared at her.

"We don't have time to be arguing over something as stupid as this," she continued. "We have to get out of here." Bryan smirked and turned back to Tom.

"Apparently, this is your area of expertise, smart boy," he sneered. Tom blushed furiously in his embarrassment.

"This wasn't the plan." He muttered. "The others were supposed to come and get me first. Then we would have rescued you and escaped." Bryan scoffed again.

"So," he said slowly, scornfully, "your plan was to let someone else do the hard work?" Zoe finally snapped.

"Bryan," she hissed. "what are you doing?" he sighed and looked at her.

"Tom had come here to help us, and the only thing you can do it mock him?" she went on. "Don't you get it? No matter what part he plays, he is still helping us." Bryan rolled his eyes.

"We don't need him and the rest of his stupid team to help us," he boasted. "We were already on our way out. All he had done has stalled us." Zoe threw her hands to the heavens.

"We're only stalled," she berated, "because you insist on being childish!"

"Fine," he huffed. "But this matter is far from over." Tom scowled but agreed.

Suddenly the lights overhead dimmed, flickered then went out entirely. Zoe looked around in the darkness.

"What the heck?" Bryan blurted. She expected a similar if not more dramatic reaction from Tom, but instead she heard him exhale in relief.

"They're here," he breathed. "They're here!"

 **Sorry it was a little late, had a lot to do this week with school and work. I'll try and go back to my normal uploading schedule, but I can't promise anything**.


	33. Chapter 33

**OK. So, it's almost been a year since I've updated. For anyone who's still waiting for this story, I have to apologise. I won't lie it's been an eventful 12 months. I lost a lot of interest in FanFiction in general, let alone my own stories. But, tonight I was just reading back through some older documents on my computer and I realised that I had this massive plan for this story. And, I'm a control freak, so I didn't have a choice, I had to start again. Now, let me just get it straight, I'm not saying that I'm back. Sure, I want to try and make sure that I finish this story and we're barely at the middle. But, I'm busy, I have exams and I usually get home from school at past 6 in the evening. I have four homeworks a night, each an hour-long, most due for the next day. I have Saturday school and play sport consecutively for 13 days and get every other Wednesday off.**

 **In short, I'm real busy. But I love writing and I want to get this off my chest. I want to give you guys an ending to this story that I started a year and a half ago. I want to say thank you to those who have stayed patient.**

 **So, let's do this.**

 **Dan's PoV**

"I can't believe that worked!" Keri said excitedly beside me. I smiled at her enthusiasm. I greatly admired her ability to think positive, even though we were in a pretty sticky situation. She looked at me.

"What?" She asked curiously.

"What…what?" I answered lamely. She narrowed her eyes at me slightly.

"You're looking at me weird," she said. I laughed and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"We don't have time for this," she warned as I leaned down and kissed her. Even though she was putting up the act of protest, I felt her melt into my arms.

"I know," I whispered. "But I can't help myself." She smiled up and me and pressed her lips back to mine.

Even though there were people close to us being held hostage, right now – right here – I felt like nothing mattered, now that I was with her.

 **No one's PoV**

Aneisha was bored. Dan and Keri had gone around the back of the building a few minutes ago to see if they could pull the fuse and send the building into darkness. She had tried the direct approach again, ringing the doorbell and trying to talk to the bad-tempered woman again. But, of course, she'd only got another slammed door.

Now, as she peered through the window, she saw the lights flicker then go out. She punched the air in delight. A few seconds later, the windows swung open.

"What the?" she asked herself, slowly stepping forward. Falteringly, reaching out she poked the window and it swung back on its hinges, hitting the window sill then creaking open again.

"Whatcha doin'" Aneisha jumped and spun around to see Dan and Keri watching her with twin raised eyebrows.

"I think these windows were electrified," She explained. The others exchanged a glance.

"We are definitely in the right place," Keri muttered. Dan nodded his agreement.

"We'd better hurry up," he said kicking down the door. "I expect Phantom will be getting suspicious."

"How do you know that's them?" Bryan demanded. "It could be a power cut."

"Either way," Tom continued, "We should take advantage of the situation."

"He's right," Zoe agreed. "Darkness means disorientation. Tom which way are we going?"

Tom closed his eyes and thought back to when they'd dragged him in. "Follow this corridor, then take three lefts turns followed by a right then another left." They started walking as Tom went on.

"We should come out in a sort of common room. I don't know our way from there, that's when they took off the blindfold. But if the team is here, then we should be ok to wait for them to come and get us."

"Then we can get the hell out of here," Bryan muttered. "And I'm going to kill every one of these Phantom freaks."

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Zoe warned. "We aren't out just yet."

"Fred, you and your guys go down the right tunnel. Dan, Keri, you take the left one. Aneisha you're with me." Frank looked around at his troops and opened his mouth to make an amazing inspirational speech.

"We only have one shot at this." Dad butted in. "We know that they are good. We know that they are strong. This is their turf. We might have the element of surprise but we still don't know this place as well as they do." Looks of doubt flickered across the face of the men. Frank stepped forward to stop this disaster from continuing but Dan started up again.

"But none of that matters. Because I have faith in each and every one of you. I know that you will all do everything in your power to bring our people home. I know that no matter how hard the going goes, you will keep going. And that's too be admired. Men, we don't know what we're running into. But we what we do know is that we will stand together and find a way to come out on top!" There was cheering, although quiet so not to give away their whereabouts.

The three teams split up. Dan and Keri led their team down the middle tunnel and they were plunged into darkness.

"I'm starting to see the downside of cutting the power," Dad said quietly. Keri said nothing. "What?"

"That was a pretty good speech you made back there."

"Thanks."

"You really believe that?"

"I don't know what I believe. But it's important for them to believe."

"But what do you believe?"

"I... I believe in you."

"What?"

"I believe that I can trust you to back me up. I believe that you will never leave my side, that you'll fight with me until the end."

"And… can I trust you and believe that you'll do the same?"

"There's nothing that can change it."

"We're lost!"

"No, we're not!" Tom protested. Bryan scowled.

"We are."

"No, we just took a wrong turn."

"Really?" Bryan spat sarcastically. "I had no idea."

"There's no need to be rude!"

"You're kidding, right? We're in the middle of enemy territory and the boy genius got us lost."

"It's dark and I wasn't feeling good when they took me!"

"You're supposed to be smart!"

"I am smart!"

"They why are we lost?"

"Because- "

"Boys, shut up. I can hear someone coming."

They all quietened. Bryan stepped forward, ready to fight. But instead of Phantom, it was Dan who appeared at the end of the corridor.

"Tom? Tony? Zoe?" He stood there for a moment and our eyes locked. "Is it you?"

"Yeah, of course it's us." Bryan scowled.

"I found them!" Dan called. Then I was in his arms. I hadn't even realised that I had started running until he caught me. He laughed and hugged me tightly. His eyes sparkled and his smile was so sweet, so warm, I couldn't help it.

"Dan? What the…" he frantically pulled away from the kiss. He spun around and sagged.

Keri stood there. She looked furious.


	34. Chapter 34

**Keri's PoV**

"Wait, I can explain." Dan protested.

"What happened to 'you can trust me?' What happened to 'I'll never leave your side; we'll fight for each other until the end?' What. Happened?" I was practically screaming.

"I meant everything I said," he said, reaching for me. I jerked away.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Funny as this is," Bryan cut in, "we really need to get out of here. Now."

"I couldn't agree more," Zoe said. I gave her a death glare. It was all her fault. We had been happy until she had shown up and ruined everything.

"Keri, are you coming?" I looked at her as she walked past. She looked so smug. I wanted to rip her stupid boyfriend stealing head from her stupid boyfriend stealing body. But I didn't. I just followed her.

Dan brought up the rear. I could feel his presence, once so soothing once so familiar now just felt poisonous. I walked faster. He got the hint and slowed.

"Does anyone actually know where are we going?" Bryan asked.

"I do," Dan said quietly. I glanced back at him.

"Well, don't just stand still, get up here, and get us out of this hell hole."

Dan stepped forward slowly. The tunnel we were in was narrow so he was very close when he passed by. To my irritation, tingles shot through my body, when he brushed against me. I looked down at the ground and tried to get my heart to stop fluttering, but it wouldn't listen. No matter how mad I was at Dan, I knew deep down, I'd always feel something for him.

"It's this way," his voice called from up ahead, the group started to move again. This time I was at the back, and I was staring daggers into Zoe's back. Eventually, we came out into bright light and I saw Zoe, Tom and Bryan squint slightly.

"It's so bright," Bryan breathed. He turned to Zoe. "Doesn't it remind you of…"

"Don't!" she replied sharply. "Don't make me think about that place." He nodded and turned away. I raised a bored eyebrow.

"Shall we go?" I asked striding forward. "We should meet up with the other teams then get out before Phatom find us."

"If they haven't found us already," Tom whispered. I spun around, sure he meant they were behind me. But there was no one there.

"Tom," Dan said, stepping towards his friend. "Are you ok?"

"I…" he hesitated. "Yeah, I'm fine." He looked at the ground took a breath then looked up with a forced smile.

"What did they do to you?" Dan asked, concern lacing his words.

"They…" he didn't get a chance to answer.

"TOM!" It was Aneisha, hurtling across the space towards him. Tom grinned, properly grinned, and hugged her tightly. They stayed embraced for a least a minute, until Bryan growled and strode up to them and yanked them apart.

"Get me out of this hell hole, before I kill you out of frustration," he demanded. Started rolling my eyes, before I caught Dan doing the same thing and ended up staring at the ceiling awkwardly.

"I think he's right," Zoe put in.

"No one cares about what you think!" I shot back… in my head.

"Come on," Aneisha said, tearing her eyes away from Tom. "Everyone's waiting for us."

We followed her through into the chamber where we'd come in and found every other team pointing their guns at our heads.

"Stand down," Frank called, pushing his way through the men. "They're with us." He smiled and quickly hugged Zoe and Tom.

"Let's get out," one of the men called. "There's something freaky about this place."

"Don't you think this is too easy?" I heard Bryan whisper to Zoe.

"What do you mean?" Came the snake's reply.

"I don't know, but it doesn't seem like Phantom to let all these agents in and out without any resistance."

"Frank," Aneisha said appearing beside him. "Did any of the other teams get anything?"

"Afraid not," he answered. "There wasn't anything to find."

"What do you mean?" I asked stepping up beside them.

"It's like they were never here."

"That's not possible," Bryan said. "We saw this earlier this morning. They can't have moved out in such little time!"

"They must have known you were coming," Zoe concluded. "But how?"

 **No one's POV**

It was the dead of night. Everyone was asleep. The howl of an owl echoed through the darkness. The figure, slowly sat up in bed and turned its head towards the window. The howl came again. The figure, stood up, and walked slowly towards the door. It clicked open and they figure silently exited. It walked down the stairs and left the house. Another howl rang out. The figure walked to the end of the street and onto the patch of grass the younger kids in the neighbourhood had claimed as a football pitch. Standing in the middle of the space was the silhouette of a man. A closer inspection, it could be seen that he wore the brightest outfit you ever saw. It was fluorescent orange with neon green stripes crisscrossing down it completed with a bright purple cape. He smiled grimly when he saw the figure walking towards him.

He held up a hand and the figure halted. "The code word is Mastermind. When you hear this word again, you will forget this ever happened." The figure tilted its head and nodded.

"Now then, Keri," the Ringmaster said. "Tell me what MI9 are planning next."


	35. Chapter 35

**Keri's POV.**

When I woke up, my head was throbbing. I didn't know why, but I wasn't worried. Based off experience, I knew it would fade within a few hours. What I was worried about was Dan. Or, more specifically, how I was going to work with him, after what he had done. I knew I wasn't supposed to let it bother me, but… it hurt so much. I felt complete when we were together. I felt, wanted, appreciated. I would have gone as far to say that I loved him. Obviously, the feelings were not mutual.

I sighed and got up, then frowned. My door was open again. "Mum, we really need to get my door fixed!" It kept opening in the middle of the night, and at this point, with so much on my mind, it was bothering me a lot more than it should have. I sighed again and closed my eyes.

"Today is a new day. Today is a new day. Today is a-"

"Keri?" I sat up and tried to smile at my mother, who was standing in the doorway.

"Yeah?" I stood and started getting clothes from my wardrobe.

"I had the carpenter take a look at your door while you were at school yesterday. He said there was nothing wrong with it." I stopped and frowned at her.

"So how is it opening? You know me, I have to sleep with the door closed, it makes me feel secure."

"I know, Honey, but what whatever is happening, it isn't to do with the door being faulty."

"So, what is it?"

"Maybe you're sleep walking?" I scoffed at her answer.

"Nah, I haven't sleep walked in forever."

"Are the nightmares coming back?"

The mere mention of the nightmares made my head start to throb harder. Memories of what KORPS had done to me. Images of pristine white images, masked faces, sharp medical instruments. Pain.

After being embraced by a loving family, the nightmares had died away. I hadn't had them since and that was something to be appreciative of.

"Keri?"

"What?"

"I just thought that maybe if the bad memories were coming back, you might be sleep walking again."

"Mum, the last time a walked in my sleep was a few months after my adoption and they went away once I settled in here."

"I just thought-"

"Look," I cut in, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "I have to go to school, but we can talk about this later, right?" I didn't wait for her to answer, just threw on a jumper, scooped my up bag and pushed past her. She didn't say anything, as I went down the stairs and out the front door.

I tried not to think about the conversation as I stumbled down the street but the tears were already stinging my eyes, memories swamping my head. I blinked furiously, but my vision was already blurring. All I wanted was a hug and the only one I wanted it from wasn't willing anymore.


	36. Chapter 36

**Tom's PoV**

Aneisha looked beautiful. I mean, she always looked beautiful, but now more than ever before, I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

It was a withering December day so, naturally, Mrs King had decided to take the school on a field trip to a team building assault course. Of course, she wasn't actually participating, instead standing aside wearing a warm winder jacket and a smug smile. Mr Flatley, on the other hand, had throw himself wholeheartedly into the course.

"Come on everyone!" he called excited. "This is fun!"

"I can't breathe, Sir!" Roly complained. "I'm sweatin'!"

"It's called exhilaration, Roland," our headmaster replied. "It's wonderful!"

I rolled my eyes, and returned my gaze to Aneisha. She and Lady J were a little ahead of me. The previous obstacle had been a muddy net we had to crawl under and Aneisha had some twigs and a few of leaves in her slightly frizzy hair. There was water dripping from the end of her nose and mud smudged on her face.

She had never looked more perfect.

I had been dying to talk to her every since they had rescued us the previous day, but the time had never seemed right. Of course, I'm sure one would say the time was always right and it was only my cowardice that was getting in my way. And maybe they would be right. But… this wasn't anyone, this was Aneisha. My best friend. And, while it sounds cliché, I was really worried about messing up that friendship when whatever came out of my mouth when I confessed my feelings came out of my mouth. It's fine when you picture a situation in your head; I mean, I've spent hours picturing it. But dreams are rarely reality and I can't afford to mess up here.

"What you doing over here?" Dan asked appearing at my shoulder making me jump.

"I'm trying not to think about the next obstacle."

"And by obstacle, I assume you mean talking to Aneisha," he replied without looking at me. I stumbled and ended up faceplanting in the dirt.

"Hrumph," I snorted into the mud.

"Thought so," Dan laughed helping me up.

"It's hard," I complained. Dan laughed again.

"Yeah, otherwise everyone would be dating."

"But isn't it supposed to be easy with the right one?"

"Where did you get that from?"

"I don't know movies?"

"Tom," he stopped and turned to me. "Listen here."

And he started talking. After a bit I zoned out consumed with rage. He said it wasn't easy and yet he made it sound easy. Then it hit me. Dan always had it easy with the girls. He was handsome and smooth and everybody loved him. Well, not everyone had the ladies throwing themselves at him left right and centre.

"Why are you giving me relationship advice anyway?" I suddenly spat. Dan looked shocked.

"I'm just trying to help you," he stammered. I rolled my eyes.

"And why would I want you're help?"

"Tom… what…?"

"I appreciate your pathetic excuse at friendship but like I said why would I need your help?"

"I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"Yeah? Well, maybe you should focus more on your train wreck of a relationship before trying to ruin mine." And I stormed off, leaving him gaping at my back.


	37. Chapter 37

**Keri's PoV**

My head had stopped throbbing but now the ache was in my heart. Dan. Of course. I mean, what was I expecting, we go to the same fricking school? But it wasn't just him, it was the way Zoe was watching him.

"God," I sneered under my breath. "She's obsessed." What I didn't get was why she wasn't sinking her claws all the way into him. Why she wasn't openly with him. I mean she liked him, he liked her. The only thing I could see that was keeping them apart was… well me. I knew Dan wouldn't want to hurt my feelings, but it just hurt me more. I wished he'd just move on from me to make it easier for me to move on from him.

I was trailing behind the rest of the group; this stupid assault was stupid. I would have given anything to get out of it although getting kidnapped was still a bit of a surprise.

It all happened rather suddenly. A hand appeared out of the bushes and clamped over my mouth and then… darkness.

When I woke up, it was still dark and the throbbing in my head was back. I blinked slowly trying to get my bearings.

"And the little Birdie awakes." I froze. An image of the dark shadow of a figure on the screen back at HQ threatening to kill the PM's sister flashed through my mind.

"You're the Ringmaster aren't you!"

"That's correct, Keri, and I have a proposal for you."

"Where am I? Is this your new base?"

"No, Keri." A short chuckle. "We're still at the assault course your school brought to you. Are you having fun?"

"How did you know I'm here?" I demanded. Another chuckle.

"I'd love to tell but it's besides the point. I'd like you to join us."

"Are you insane? I'd never join Phantom!"

"Hear me out, Keri." The Ringmaster laughed again before continuing. "I want to help you."

I scoffed. "Why would I need your help?"

"I seem to have noticed something… a sort of wedge between you and your team?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Zoe, of course!"

"What…? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh Keri, please, don't try and make up excuses. You don't think that we haven't noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

"How Zoe coming back is tearing apart you team! Not only has she split up you and Dan she's also put pressure on Tom and Aneisha to get together and that has resulted in the boys falling out."

"You think Zoe's responsible for that? I mean, yeah she's messed up me and Dan but you can't blame everything else on her."

"You don't think so?"

"I mean… No I don't…"

"Then allow me to put it like this. Have you noticed the relationship Aneisha and Tom have?"

"Yeah they're best friends."

"No, Tom and Dan are best friends. Almost like brothers. Tom has feelings for Aneisha. Tell me you didn't know that."

"I didn't."

"And neither did he. But when Zoe came back it brought the memories of the romantic relationship Dan and Zoe and suddenly Tom realised that he was jealous that the other two could be so openly in love while he was forced to hide the feelings he didn't even know he had. The same would go for Aneisha."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that your team was perfect, you defeated my older brother which is no small feat. But you did it and you did it together. You were the dream team and then Zoe was back and she ruined you and Dan, she ruined Tom and Aneisha and now she's ruined Tom and Dan. It's only a matter of time before she ruins you and Aneisha then the dream team is destroyed and soon after the world."

"Destroyed by you!"

"Indeed. But you can stop us."

"You're damn right I can. Let me out of these ropes and I'll show you."

"Keri, I admire your spirit. However, I have a better idea. Perhaps you would like to listen to what I have to say?" He didn't wait for an answer. "It has occurred to me that maybe you can help us out."

"Why would I help you?"

"Because it would get rid of Zoe. This entire thing has been about Zoe. We want to her. Not you, not the PM or his fluffbrain sister. We need her to fulfil our plan."

"And what is your plan?"

"Ooh I'm not saying. But believe me you'll have a much better chance of stopping us once she's out of the picture."

"Out of the picture and into your hands!" I cried indignantly. The Ringmaster chuckled.

"Do we have a deal?"

"No!"

"Keri, take a minute to think. I believe you'll come around soon."

"Then you're crazy."

"Five… Four… Three…"

He continued his countdown but suddenly everything slowed. Maybe the Ringmaster was right about Zoe. Maybe she was the wedge that was tearing everything apart. Maybe if I went along with the Ringmaster's plan, it would turn out fine. The dream team would be back together. Me, Dan, Aneisha and Tom, working together like we used to before Zoe came back. Maybe that was the right thing to do. Maybe it the best option we had.

Or maybe I was just trying to get rid of her so I could have Dan back. Maybe I was putting the world in danger by listening to my heart instead of my head. Maybe I should turn down the offer and learn to work with Zoe so we could take down the Ringmaster and the rest of Phantom.

"Keri?" He had finished counting. "I need your answer."

"I'm in."


End file.
